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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer 

PELHAM – A 17-year-old juvenile was arrested on charges related to an active warrant for murder following a situation that played out in the Pelham Church of the Highlands’ parking lot on Sunday, Feb. 11.

The arrest came after the suspect, who arrived at the church with an adult and seven other juveniles, was seen carrying a firearm in his waistband.

“A church volunteer was shuttling people from their vehicles to the building,” an announcement from the Pelham Police Department read. “The volunteer noted that one of the juvenile males had a firearm in his waistband and informed him that he could not have the weapon inside the church.”

Following the volunteer’s statement, the juvenile suspect is reported to have complied and immediately exited the shuttle. As the suspect placed the firearm in a vehicle, the other members of the group also exited the shuttle.

Another of the juveniles, described only as a female, entered the vehicle containing the firearm and promptly drove away. According the Pelham Police Department, the female juvenile then returned several minutes later.

Although the suspect complied and discarded the firearm, Pelham police officers chose to contact him after they were alerted to the situation. Afterward, officers identified the juvenile as someone sought under an active warrant for murder in Montgomery County.

According to police statements, the juvenile was then taken into custody without incident and the firearm never made it into the church. It is believed that after being placed in the vehicle driven by the female juvenile, the firearm was quickly disposed of.

“A short time later, Pelham Police Officers found the firearm hidden in some bushes on the other side of the church property,” the department said.

Although an active investigation is still underway, the Pelham Police Department has announced that at this time they do not believe the incident to have been related to any active threat to the church or the surrounding area.

Officials have since confirmed that the arrested individual, who is not being identified on account of his age, has been transferred to Montgomery County.