According to the Chula Vista Police Department, School Resource Officers responded to Rancho del Rey Middle School at approximately 10:50am on May 28 after school staff discovered an unspent round of ammunition on campus.
School officials immediately began investigating alongside law enforcement. During interviews with students, officers learned that a student had reportedly been seen discarding an object near the school's fence line. Based on that information, administrators placed the campus under Secure Campus status while officers searched the area.
Police subsequently located a firearm concealed beneath a bush near the school's fence line. According to investigators, the firearm did not have a serial number and was recovered along with an unloaded magazine. Officers also located an additional round of ammunition nearby.
As a result of the investigation, one student was taken into custody for allegedly bringing the firearm onto campus. Because the individual is a minor, authorities have not released identifying information.
The incident began during the lunch period, according to an email sent to parents by Rancho del Rey Middle School administrators. School officials stated that two students initially reported finding a bullet on campus, prompting administrators to contact Sweetwater Union High School District Safety and Security personnel as well as the Chula Vista Police Department.
Additional students reportedly informed administrators that they had overheard conversations suggesting another student may have brought a weapon onto campus. Out of what school officials described as an abundance of caution, the school activated both its Suspected Weapon and Secure Campus protocols while law enforcement investigated.
“Law enforcement safely identified the student believed to be in possession of the weapon and recovered the weapon without incident,” administrators wrote in their message to families. “At no time was there a direct threat made toward students or staff.”
Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to students, staff, or the campus related to the incident.
The Chula Vista Police Department credited students and school staff for promptly reporting concerns, allowing officers to respond quickly and safely.
The incident comes amid heightened community sensitivity surrounding school and public safety following the May 18 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont that left three people dead and shook communities across the region. While authorities have emphasized that Thursday's incident at Rancho del Rey Middle School was resolved without violence and involved no direct threats, the discovery of ammunition and the subsequent recovery of an unserialized firearm on a middle school campus is likely to raise concerns among parents already on edge following recent events.
The Chula Vista Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact San Diego Crime Stoppers.
Rancho del Rey Middle School is part of the Sweetwater Union High School District and serves students in grades 7 and 8 in eastern Chula Vista.
Originally published on May 28, 2026. Updated following release of additional information from the Chula Vista Police Department.
