A Florida college student is facing felony charges after police found an AR-15 rifle under his bed and 1,500 rounds of ammunition shipped to his dorm, igniting a national debate over campus safety, gun rights, and the consequences of violating school policy. The case began after campus officials flagged a large shipment of ammunition addressed to the on-campus apartment of Rollins College senior Constantine Demetriades, prompting a police search that uncovered the rifle, a tactical vest, and knives. Demetriades admitted he legally owns firearms in New Jersey but acknowledged his concealed carry permit is not valid in Florida and that he should not have brought a gun onto the private campus. He faces a felony charge and has been barred from returning to campus pending the student conduct process.
Story Snapshot
- Rollins College senior Constantine Demetriades was arrested for possessing a weapon on school property after police found an AR-15 under his bed and tactical gear in his dorm room.
- Campus officials flagged a shipment of about 1,500 rounds of ammunition to his on-campus apartment, prompting a police search that uncovered the rifle and other items.
- Demetriades admitted he legally owns firearms in New Jersey but acknowledged his concealed carry permit is not valid in Florida and that he should not have brought a gun onto a private campus with a no-weapons policy.
- He faces up to five years in prison on a felony charge, while Rollins College has barred him from returning to campus pending its student conduct process.
- The case highlights the tension between individual gun ownership rights and campus safety rules, especially at private institutions that can enforce stricter weapons bans.
AR-15 and Ammunition Found in Dorm Room
Winter Park police executed a search of a Rollins College student’s on-campus apartment after campus safety staff flagged a large ammunition shipment addressed to his dorm. Inside the room, officers found an AR-15–style rifle hidden under the bed, along with a tactical vest and multiple knives. The 21-year-old senior, Constantine Demetriades, was taken into custody and booked into Orange County Jail on a felony charge of possessing a weapon on school property. Florida law generally prohibits firearms on school and college grounds, and Rollins, as a private institution, maintains a strict no-weapons policy that students are expected to follow.
AR-15 allegedly found under Florida college student’s bed after he ordered 1,500 rounds of ammo to dorm https://t.co/HWlbh8kNQ4 pic.twitter.com/lZJjcEwMkI
— New York Post (@nypost) December 7, 2025
Student’s Explanation and Legal Status
Demetriades told investigators he legally purchased and registered firearms in New Jersey, where he holds a concealed carry permit, and uses them for recreational shooting as a hobby. He acknowledged that his New Jersey permit is not valid in Florida and admitted he knew he should not have a gun on a private campus with a no-weapons policy. According to police, he usually stored the rifle with a friend off-campus but brought it back late at night after Thanksgiving break and kept it under his bed. An Orange County judge granted him pre-trial release on bond but imposed the condition that he cannot return to his on-campus housing while the criminal case and Rollins’ student conduct process continue.
Campus Response and Broader Implications
Rollins College confirmed that Demetriades is not allowed back on campus while its student conduct investigation is ongoing. The discovery of an AR-15 and a large cache of ammunition in a dorm room has alarmed many students and parents at the private liberal arts school, which promotes a “violence-free” campus environment. The incident underscores how private colleges can impose gun bans stricter than state law and how large ammunition orders to campus housing can trigger immediate intervention by campus safety and local police. This case is likely to become a precedent for how Rollins and similar institutions handle weapons-related shipments and violations of campus weapons policies in the future.
Watch the report: Florida college student arrested for bringing AR-15 onto campus
Sources:
Florida college student who allegedly shipped 1,500 rounds of ammo to dorm had AR-15 under bed
College student caught with AR-15 under bed after ordering 1,500 rounds of ammo to his dorm
AR-15 allegedly found under Florida college student’s bed after he ordered 1,500 rounds of ammo to dorm | New York Post
