HS Football Player Arrested for Allegedly Carrying Knife in Uniform During Game

A football player from Lake Weir High School in Ocala, Fla., has been arrested and booked in a Marion County Jail after being accused of carrying a small pocketknife in his uniform during a game.

According to a report by Carlos E. Medina of the Ocala Star Banner, Trevante Taylor, 18, was charged with possession of a weapon on school property, which is a felony. He was released after posting $2,000 bond on Saturday.

Taylor was determined to be carrying the knife in his waistband during his team's Friday night 29-0 home loss against Citrus High School from Inverness.   

Marion County Public Schools spokesman Kevin Christian could not discern why Taylor carried the weapon on the field.

"There is no plausible reason. The team they were playing was not even from Marion County. I doubt he even knew anyone on the other team," said Christian.

After a student saw the pocketknife and reported it to officials, Taylor was confronted by a Marion County Sheriff's Deputy. He denied that he had a knife—even though it was visible.

Taylor did not threaten opposing players or advertise the fact that he was carrying it to anyone, according to reports cited by Medina.

Lake Weir principal Wayne Livingston commented on the matter, noting that he didn't believe it was necessary to watch players for similar incidents moving forward:

"

We’re not going to start searching all of (the) players. This young man made a terrible mistake. It was a bad decision on his part. There was absolutely no rhyme or reason for it. Out of the 1,600 students we have, the majority of the students do the right things. As adults, we have to guide and direct them.

"

Christian noted that typical protocol for cases similar to Taylor's is for the student-athlete to be transferred to another school, but the school board will vote on the matter before determining his fate.