From Staff Reports
Two Seminole County High Schools were recently placed on lockdown after guns were found on students at Lyman High School and Seminole High School.
These dangerous situations alarmed the Seminole County School Board, teachers, principals, students and parents. An urgent plea has resounded for everyone to not only report any suspicious threats or behavior but also to secure any and all firearms.
Administrators at the Ninth Grade Center/Seminole High School received a tip from another student regarding a gun on campus and a lockdown then took place. According to a Sanford Police Department press release, Sanford Police School Resource officers searched the campus, located Tyheme Wyche hiding in a closet and proceeded to arrest him. Officers later found the gun in the vicinity of where Wyche was located. No students were harmed during this incident.
Regarding these events, Chief Cecil Smith stated, “I commend the swift action and bravery of the student that came forward reporting another student having a gun on campus. Those actions are a prime example of what we mean when we say, “See something, Say something”. The quick identification and arrest of Wyche are the direct result of officers' and administrations’ training to
ensure the safety of all our school campuses. We have zero tolerance for anyone who jeopardizes the safety of students and staff in our schools. If you do so, you will be arrested and charged accordingly.”
Tyheme Wyche (D.O.B. 04/24/2009) has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm under the age of 18, one count of disruption of a school function, and one count of possession of a firearm on a school campus, and was transported to the Seminole County’s Juvenile Assessment Center.
“The safety and security of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We are incredibly grateful for the individual who came forward today; their courage allowed our administration and law enforcement partners to respond immediately and resolve the situation safely,” said Seminole County Public Schools Superintendent Serita D. Beamon.
Sanford Police School Resource Officers later arrested Jeremiah Burgess (D.O.B. 08/22/2009) for tampering with a witness in relation to the previous arrest of a student for possession of a gun on the Seminole High School campus.
Burgess was arrested and charged with one count of Tampering with a Witness and transported to Seminole County’s Juvenile Assessment Center.
Chief Cecil Smith stated, “Bullying someone for reporting a serious crime, such as having a gun on a school campus, will not be tolerated. Again, we are thankful for the student who chose to do the right thing and report the student. We will continue to encourage any student to always “See something. Say something.”
According the Longwood Police Department, a 16-year-old boy was also recently arrested after a School Resource Officer received a tip from a student. A gun was found in the backpack of the student also with vape devices and THC concentrate, while he was still in his classroom.
Also cited in the arrest report that "the teen advised that the photograph he took was sent to a friend at South Seminole Middle School and had the caption, ‘I’ll protect you.’"
Investigators are asking anyone with additional information about this incident to please contact the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800 423-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimeline.org. Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous.
