High School student accused of taking knife, brass knuckles to school

Las Cruces High School student Ernest Padilla,18, is charged with unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises after police say officers found a butterfly knife in his pocket and brass knuckles on his keychain.

On Wednesday afternoon, administrators at Las Cruces High School learned of a Snapchat picture taken by Padilla that allegedly showed him holding an assault style rifle. The text over the photo allegedly said “Mexican school shooter 2k18 jk guys.”

Administrators contacted the Las Cruces Police Department’s school resource office and Las Cruces High School was placed on lockdown.

Padilla was taken into custody by police, the lockdown was lifted and students were allowed to leave since it was the end of the day.

That is when police searched Padilla and was found to allegedly be in possession of brass knuckles and a knife. Officers searched his vehicle, but no firearm was found. Police eventually recovered the suspected rifle at his home on the 8900 block of Calle de Brazito in Mesilla Park.

Ernest Padilla was arrested and charged with one count of unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises, a fourth-degree felony count.

Padilla was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is being held without bond.