What to know
- On Thursday, two guns were found in the backpacks of New York City public school students in separate boroughs and that charge was held by a 6-year-old boy, authorities say.
- The 6-year-old didn’t know the gun was there. Cops say they were notified of the discovery at Boys Prep Bronx, a public private school in Route 151 east in Concourse, around 8:30 am
- In another case on Thursday, police said they found a 14-year-old in possession of a 9mm pistol at a Brooklyn high school and could now be charged.
NEW YORK – On Thursday, two guns were found in the backpacks of New York City public school students in separate boroughs, and that charge was in the possession of a 6-year-old boy, authorities say.
The 6-year-old didn’t know the gun was there. Cops say they were notified of the discovery at Boys Prep Bronx, a public private school in Route 151 east in Concourse, around 8:30 am
It is not clear how the gun got into the boy’s backpack. Police say the 6-year-old was dropped off at school Thursday by his uncle. The school administrators were notified after he opened his backpack and found another bag with the gun inside. The gun was loaded, authorities say.
The investigation is ongoing and the police are talking to the boy’s mother about the case. The Bronx charter school has no scanners, officials say.
“Our staff acted swiftly today to ensure everyone’s safety and communicate with our families and relevant authorities,” a school spokesperson said in a statement. “We are obviously shocked and saddened by this situation and are now focused on reviewing our procedures while also making sure that this student and his classmates have the support they need. We have alerted the police immediately and will help in any way we can.” with your research.
Around the same time, police say they found a 14-year-old boy in possession of a 9mm pistol at a Brooklyn high school. That weapon, which was discovered just before 8:30 am Thursday at Brooklyn Collegiate Prep in Via Bergen in Brownsville, he was not charged, authorities said.
Sources familiar with that investigation say the student was seen on video displaying firearms with other students. Officials have been informed. The school security officers searched the student’s backpack and allegedly found the weapon.
Charges are pending against the 14-year-old, police say.
The School Safety Officers Union says the Brooklyn school has about 1,000 enrolled children. The number of assigned security officers has been halved since the start of the pandemic, the union said. There are no scanners either.
