Student with loaded handgun arrested in Texas

 HOUSTON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- A 14-year-old male student was arrested Wednesday after being found in possession of a loaded handgun at a high school in the Texas city of Houston, local TV channel ABC13 news reported.

The arrest was made at 10:48 a.m. Wednesday, roughly 10 minutes after campus-based police officers received a tip from the Houston Police Department the student at Sterling¹ High School may have a gun, the report said.

Houston police were reportedly investigating an allegation the student used the weapon to threaten an individual off campus on Tuesday afternoon.

Police officers took the student into custody² without incident and confiscated³ the weapon after searching him, according to the report. The student, whose name is not being released, told police he was carrying the weapon to protect himself from gang members in the neighborhood surrounding the school.

The incident, which has been referred to the Harris County District Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution⁴, came as the country mourned the death of 20 schoolchildren and six adults killed in last Friday's school shooting rampage in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The shooting has rekindled⁵ the nationwide debate on gun control.

1 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

2 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 confiscated   

没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Their land was confiscated after the war. 他们的土地在战后被没收。
• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。

4 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

5 rekindled   

v.使再燃( rekindle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• As soon as they met again his dormant love for her was rekindled. 他们一见面，他对她的旧情如乾柴烈火般又重新燃起。 来自辞典例句
• Ive found rekindled my interest in re-reading the books. 我发觉这提起了我再次阅读这些书的兴趣。 来自互联网