Newark High School student arrested for drugs, loaded handgun

A Newark High School student was arrested Tuesday after police found drugs and a loaded handgun inside his backpack.

According to the Newark Police Department, a school official suspected that 18-year-old Zakeer Washington of Wilmington had marijuana inside his book bag and contacted school administration to confront him. After verifying the drugs, they called the school resource officer and police where they searched the bag further and found a loaded .45 caliber handgun. The 46 grams of marijuana seized were packaged in 45 small plastic vials and seven small bags.

Police said the gun had been reported stolen from Somerset County, Pennsylvania last year.

Washington was arrested without incident and remains jailed at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution.

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He’s facing drug and gun charges.

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