SOUTH BEND — School officials in South Bend are looking at new security measures after a second student brought a gun to Washington High School.

Police arrested 18-year-old Willie Johnson Monday after another student told a teacher that Johnson had a gun.

"Bringing a gun to school — that's a serious matter,” said parent Cedric Acker.

And it marks the second such incident this year for Washington High School. Supt. Robert Zimmerman says they're now looking to make changes. Options include random security screenings and metal detectors.

"Obviously we have to provide safe schools and we've got to do what we need to do to do that,” Zimmerman said in a press conference Tuesday. “But at the same time we don't want to overreact to the situation, and want to step back and look at the situation and what’s reasonable.”

To see Zimmerman's entire press conference, click on the link in the Related Content box.

But are metal detectors the answer? Some say yes.

“I think eventually all schools will have them,” said another parent. “Yeah, I'd feel safer."

But not every agrees.

“Sometimes there is a false sense of security with metal detectors,” said school board member Marcia Hummel.

Instead, Hummel points to the students themselves.

In both cases, the students involved were transfer students from other districts. She wants more research done into their backgrounds before they start classes.

"We do that with our employees, and I think we need to start doing it with kids,” she said. “We have to ensure safety. If kids are going to learn, we have to ensure safety first."

And that's what parents want to hear.

“I think that something needs to be done,” Acker said. “Because it’s going to happen again and we may not be as lucky next time. You hear about it on the news every day."

It's not known yet if either student had any problems before they came to Washington. But Zimmerman did say that they don't allow kids into this district who have been expelled from other districts.

Police do not yet know why the student brought the gun to school. That is something the school corporation will be looking at as it decides its next move.