Cheltenham, Abington school officials and police considering stricter precautions after Monday night’s emergency meeting

Dozens of concerned parents met for an emergency town hall meeting in the Little Theater at Cheltenham High School on Monday, August 28 to address Friday’s firearm incident at Abington Senior High School.

Dr. Brian Scriven, Cheltenham’s superintendent, and high school principal Mr. Jimmy D’Andrea held the meeting for transparency and to discuss increased security measures that will be in place for future games.

According to FOX29, on-field staff will have walkie-talkies in addition to cell phones for better communication.

Cheltenham’s United Parents Group suggested scanning and wanding for home and away games as well as a bookbag ban.

“I will be doing screening at that game, I will be checking bags, there will be very explicit directions and we will be using a wand on everybody coming in the game,” Dr. Scriven said. “Friday was that wake up call for us. Let’s step out there, have a town hall and figure out as a community what we need to do differently.”

Cheltenham and Abington school district officials will be working alongside police to come up with a plan and evaluate additional layers of security.

“We need to be proactive. We have to get in front of these things before they start not afterwards,” a parent said, as reported by CBS News.

“We really have faith in the administrators and the Cheltenham Police Department, so it was a good meeting,” a man said.

According to CBS News, the 17-year-old boy who allegedly brought a handgun to the game is a Cheltenham High School student and has been arrested. Police noted that the weapon had no serial number.

“This is more rounds than the police officers carry,” Abington Township Police Detective Lieutenant Steven Fink said on Monday. “It’s a 30-round high-capacity magazine. It’s with another high-capacity magazine. Thirty-one rounds with one in the chamber.”

For additional coverage, you can watch NBC10‘s video here:



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Screengrab courtesy of NBC10