Man who brought gun inside Clayton school said he forgot it was in his pocket

A 21-year-old man faces charges of possessing a weapon on educational property and carrying a concealed weapon after a weapons detection system alerted when he entered Clayton Middle School Tuesday to pick up his sisters.

Posted 11:28 p.m. Mar 22, 2023 — Updated 11:35 p.m. Mar 23, 2023

Destinee Patterson

, WRAL reporter

CLAYTON, N.C. — A 21-year-old man faces charges of possessing a weapon on educational property and carrying a concealed weapon after a weapons detection system alerted when he entered Clayton Middle School Tuesday to pick up his sisters.

Ubaldo Tellez Perez, 21, had a Glock 9mm handgun in his waistband and said that he had no bad intentions.

"I went to go pick up my sisters from school, and I didn't realize I had my gun on me until it was too late," said Perez.

When approached, Perez cooperated and told the school resource officer that he forgot he had the weapon in his pocket.

“It's always been against the law to bring a gun onto our campus," said Caitlin Furr with Johnston County Public Schools. "It was good to know that this money that we've invested is working already."

The weapon detection program is still in its pilot phase; district officials say this situation made them feel sound in their decision the install them in their schools.

Johnston County is in the process of installing weapon detection systems in every school, at an expense of about $6 million. The main doors of all schools will be equipped with the system, which combines radio frequency sensors with artificial intelligence screening to detect weapons of all kinds, not just firearms.

"At no point were any students or staff in danger," Clayton Police Chief Greg Tart said. "The weapons detection system worked as it was designed to do."

Perez was not in custody. His next court appearance was scheduled for April 20.

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