Man charged with having handgun at Clayton Middle School

CLAYTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A man who went into Clayton Middle School to pick up his sisters during an early dismissal is facing charges of having a gun on a school campus, Clayton Police said Wednesday.

Police said that on Tuesday about 12:30 p.m., Ubaldo Tellez Perez, 21, walked into the school after showing his identification and set off the recently installed weapons detection system.

The system indicated that Perez was possibly carrying a weapon on the left side of his front waistband.

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According to police, school staffers asked Perez whether he was armed and he acknowledged that he was. The School Resource Officer approached him and secured the weapon, a Glock 9mm handgun.

Perez was taken into custody and charged with possessing a weapon on educational property and carrying a concealed weapon.

Perez acknowledged that he didn't realize he was carrying his weapon when he entered the school, police said. At no point were any students or staff in danger.

Police said the weapons detection system worked as it was designed to do.