14-year-old Willis ISD student arrested for alleged gun threat claims he never said he had an AK-47

WILLIS, Texas (KTRK) -- A 14-year-old Willis High School student who was arrested for allegedly saying he had a gun, claims he never made the remark.

Kenji King Jr., a freshman football player at the school, said he was in disbelief when he was taken aside and placed in handcuffs Wednesday.

"He was like, 'Whatever you say is not gonna change the outcome from, you going to jail,'" King said.

King said he was headed to football practice when his assistant principal walked in with Montgomery County sheriff's deputies.

"Then he was like, 'Somebody said that you had made a threat towards the school,' and I told him, 'What?'" King said.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said several students and staffers heard King yell, "I have an AK-47 in my bag" during class change.

King was charged with false alarm and said he spent the next 24 hours in jail.

"I didn't do it, and I have witnesses. I didn't because they say it happened in the hallway, and in the hallway it's after 5th period, and I had my headphones on the whole time," he said.

On Friday, the Montgomery County Attorney's Office told Eyewitness News that it's pursuing its case against King and said they didn't think there was any mistake about who said what.

Schools across the Houston area have been cracking down on students making threats.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said her office has filed 22 cases during the first three and a half weeks of the school year compared to seven last year.

Last week in Willis, two students were arrested for threats. One for making an online threat against three schools, and another for making a threatening comment in the hall.

As for King, his parents say they were told the freshman, who they describe as a straight-A student, would be allowed to return to school on Tuesday. Willis ISD hasn't confirmed that despite Eyewitness News' requests.

"I wish they could drop it and let him continue going to school. He's scared, he's traumatized," Kenji King Sr. said.

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