Florida

Piper High Student Accused of Bringing Knife to School

A South Florida high school student was arrested after authorities say he brought a knife to knife to school in his backpack.

Maurice Akwan Peterkin, 18, was arrested Thursday on a charge of possession of a weapon on school property for bringing the knife to Piper High School in Sunrise, according to an arrest report.

The report said Peterkin had been involved in a fight with other students after school on Sept. 21, and he told Piper's assistant principal that he had a knife in his backpack during school hours on that day and also during the fight.

On Tuesday, when the assistant principal was taking Peterkin from his classroom, he quickly ran into a men's bathroom, the report said. The assistant principal thought Peterkin was trying to hide something, possibly the knife, but when a security specialist searched the bathroom nothing was found, the report said.

But when the specialist searched Peterkin's backpack, he found an 8-inch steak knife, the report said. Peterkin said he had been carrying the knife for personal protection, the report said.

Peterkin was suspended from school and later arrested at his home in Lauderhill. He admitted to police that he had brought the knife to school, the report said.

Peterkin was booked into jail where he was being held on $5,000 bond Thursday, records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.

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