STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – Sterling Heights police responded to an elementary school after school staff reported that a handgun had been found in a student’s bag.
Police say they responded at around 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 19, 2026, to the Head Start program at Schwarzkoff Elementary School.
Upon arrival, officers were advised that staff had located the handgun in the bag of a preschool student.
Responding officers immediately secured the firearm.
Police are currently working with school administrators to determine how the student came into possession of the handgun.
Any potential criminal charges will be investigated and submitted to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
At this time, there is no active threat to the school community or to students and staff at Schwarzkoff Elementary School, police said.
Utica Community Schools released the following statement to parents and guardians:
"Dear Schwarzkoff Community,
I want to share with you a situation being addressed in partnership with the City of Sterling Heights Police Department and Macomb County Head Start Agency.
As you may know, Schwarzkoff is the site of a Macomb County Action Head Start program. This federal preschool program is administered by the county and located at Schwarzkoff Elementary.
This morning, as students were entering the building, the Macomb County Action Head Start teacher observed what appeared to be a weapon in a student’s backpack. The teacher followed safety protocols and took immediate action to secure the backpack without alarming the students.
The teacher sent the backpack to the office where it was confirmed that a weapon was in the bag. The Sterling Heights police were immediately contacted and they identified the object as a handgun registered to the child’s parent. The pre-school child indicated that they did not know that a weapon was in the backpack. Police are actively investigating this situation and the student is not in the program.
We would like to commend the teacher and our staff for taking immediate action. As you know, Utica Community Schools has strict protocols to ensure the health and safety of our students. These protocols and the diligence of our staff ensured the safety of our staff and students.
Since this is a criminal investigation, we would refer all questions about the investigation to the Sterling Heights Police Department at 586-446-2945. We will continue to fully cooperate with Sterling Heights Police Department and Macomb County in their work. We appreciate their proactive partnership with our district and their commitment to the safety of our educational community."
Principal Amber Fante