SANTA ROSA COUNTY

SHERIFFS OFFICE

Sheriff Wendell Hall

Milton High School Student Arrested for Having Loaded Handgun on Campus

A Resource Officer with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office arrested a 16 year old Milton High School student this afternoon after the student was found to have a loaded handgun in his backpack. At approximately 1400 hours, the resource officer, Deputy Joe Spirakis, was approached by two students who told Spirakis that another student was in possession of a firearm on campus. The students told Spirakis that the suspects name was “TK”. Spirakis had dealt with “TK” (who was identified as Tkhari Armon Barnett, B/M, 16 years old) earlier in the day due to Barnett being involved in a verbal altercation with another student. Spirakis and the Assistant Principal went towards the gym, which is where Barnett was supposed to be. They found Barnett, but he was not in possession of his book bag, which was present with him earlier in the day during the meeting with Barnett concerning the earlier confrontation. Barnett stated that he had thrown the book bag away off campus, however the Assistant Principal received more information that the book bag was in a locker in the boy's locker room. Spirakis and the Assistant Principal then went to the boy's locker room located in the gym, and located Barnett's book bag inside a locker. When they opened the book bag, they discovered a Ruger P89 9mm handgun. The magazine which was inserted into the pistol was full of ammunition; however there was not a round inside the chamber. Barnett stated that the pistol had been in his back pack all day while at school. Barnett was booked at the Santa Rosa County Jail and transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Pensacola . Barnett was charged with Possession of a Firearm on School Property (3 rd degree felony) and Felony Violation of Probation. A mug shot of Barnett is attached to this email, as well as the redacted offense report.

Suspect:

Tkhari Armon Barnett, B/M, 16 years old

4100 block of Woodville Road , Milton , FL

Charges:

Possession of a Firearm on School Grounds

Felony Violation of Probation

Press Release By:

Sgt. Scott Haines

Media Relations Unit (850) 981-2136 or shaines@srso.net