Gun Arrest Leads To Immigration Roundup

COLUMBIA, Tenn.- A teenager brought a gun to school and his admission about his immigration status lead to the arrests of 24 undocumented immigrants Tuesday.

The arrests stem from an incident that happened in January.

A 14-year-old student brought a gun to Whithorne Middle School.

Authorities learned the student was in the country illegally along with many of his relatives.

On Tuesday, 24 undocumented immigrants - 22 adults and two juveniles- were taken into police custody.

It happened at the Country Side Village Mobile Home Park around 6.a.m.

The Maury County Sheriff's Office worked with federal Immigration Customs Enforcement agents when they made the arrests.

At the time, they were looking for the 14-year-old who took a gun to his school.

Authorities expected to the teenager and four or five other family members. While at his home, authorities found more information and ended up taking several nearby neighbors into custody.

Capt. Nathan Johns said the investigation revealed other households in the community where there were undocumented immigrants.

Some people who witnessed the arrests believe the authorities went too far.

"Some of the people they took didn't belong to that family," said Larri Morales. "They went to a couple different trailers. I know some of the people they took and they had nothing to do with the 14-year-old old. If they started out for the family that wasn't even right that they took everybody else."

The immigrants were taken to the Maury County jail before they're taken into federal custody.