Data on guns found in Southern Colorado school districts in the 2021/2022 school year so far

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Nearly every school district in Southern Colorado has reportedly confiscated at least one firearm from a school so far in the 2021/2022 school year, that's according to data obtained by 13 Investigates.

Below is information provided by some of the districts in Southern Colorado to KRDO:

• District 11 - 4 guns
• District 20 - 2 guns
• District 49 - 0
• Fountain District 8 - 1 gun
• District 3 - 0
• District 60 - 2 guns
• District 70 -- 1 gun

In District 11, two guns were found at Tesla Educational Opportunity on February 17th. The only other school district to have multiple guns found at the same school this year was Roncalli Stem Academy in District 60.

Beverly Kingston, the Director for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Boulder, says school leaders are working through complex issues to keep guns out of the hands of students.

"We've worked with some really seasoned educators who've say this has been year has been their hardest year," Kingston said. "Kids are under a lot of stress right now."

One possible reason for the trend district officials gave to 13 Investigates is that students are relearning to interact with one another after living through virtual learning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

District 60's Executive Director of Intervention and Student Support Services Andy Burns said students are learning how to "socialize" and "be a part of a community again."

"Many of the students have not been able to social and emotional skills over the last 18 months and so they are relearning skills," Burns said. "Some of our middle school students, lets say eighth graders students are using skills that they learned as 11 and 12 year olds as 6th or 7th graders and haven't evolved those skills."

Kingston said much of the mass violence in our country had its fair share of warning signs, thus making it even more important engage in up front conversations with students about gun safety and violence in schools.

"What we see in mass violence, there has been studies by the Secret Service and most recently they looked at 41 school attackers and in over 90% of those cases, other people saw warning signs," Kingston said.

District officials told 13 Investigates students are also bringing airsoft guns to school, which can still lead to danger.

Officials also say properly storing weapons away from children will help alleviate the growing issue. In addition, having an up front approach with children can be the best way prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands.

"If you see something say something and helping young people to understand what those warning signs are, and what to do with those warning signs," Kingston said.