17-year-old Gibraltar high school student charged as adult for bringing gun to school

STURGEON BAY – A 17-year-old student at Gibraltar High School in Fish Creek is charged with a felony for bringing a gun to school Friday.

Aidan Rice, of Sister Bay, is charged as an adult with possessing a firearm on the grounds of a school, a Class I felony. He made his initial appearance Monday morning in Door County Circuit Court, and was released from jail afterward on $5,000 bond.

According to a criminal complaint, around 11:10 a.m. Friday, a teacher notified a school resource officer that a student possibly had a gun. The teacher said a student handed her a sticky note in class reading "gun in jacket."

The principal went to the classroom and removed Rice and his backpack, the complaint says.

In the principal's office, the principal and school resource officer searched Rice's backpack. Rice initially denied having any weapons on him, but then admitted to having a gun in his jacket, according to the complaint.

Rice said he brought the gun because he was scared of a former student and "felt he needed protection," the complaint says. The school resource officer noted that the former student has not been at Gibraltar High School since at least November.

The school resource officer confiscated the gun from Rice. It was a Ruger .38 Special revolver, loaded with five bullets. Four other bullets were also in his jacket.

The school resource officer later spoke with some classmates. Two students said the day prior, Rice had said something about someone chasing him and then tapped on his jacket. The students said they heard what sounded like coins or brass clinking together, according to the complaint.

Rice told an investigator at the Door County Jail that he ran into the former student at a Walmart a week prior, and he brought the gun in case he needed to defend himself.

Rice has an adjourned initial appearance scheduled for 10 a.m. May 13.

If convicted, Rice faces up to 3½ years in prison, a fine of $10,000, or both.

Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @ArseneauKelli.