Student accused of bringing BB gun to school
Police say masked teen was carrying item that looked like Glock pistol
A 17-year-old student carrying a BB gun that resembled a Glock handgun and wearing a ski mask has been charged with misdemeanor trespassing and unlawful possession of a weapon on school grounds following an encounter Wednesday afternoon that resulted in some tense moments around the high school.
The teen, whose name is not being released because of his age, had on a ski mask, sunglasses, gloves, and a hoodie and was carrying a small side bag in a hallway of the high school around 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Police said he initially refused
to identify himself to school staff, then gave a false name and refused to remove his mask.
He managed to make it out of the school building, crossed a field and attempted to hop a fence, police said. At some point, he discarded the bag.
The school’s community engagement officers were able to apprehend and identify the teen.
As they were talking to him, school staff retrieved the bag, which police say contained the imitation Glock handgun. The school district said it was a BB gun made to look like a handgun.
The teen was later transported to the police department.
On Wednesday night, the high school sent an email to parents informing them of the security breach and saying the teen is a high school student who was on suspension.
“Safety is always a top priority,” the letter to parents said. “We are grateful to the Schenectady Police Department and the (community engagement officers) for their continued partnership in keeping our school safe.”
On Monday, City Council paved the way for more community engagement officers, also known as school resource officers, to work in the district.
The school said a student was arrested May 5, 2022 after allegedly being found walking the halls in a ski mask with a BB gun that looked like a real handgun — a proposal that has stirred controversy among city school board members and which some students and community members have protested.
The city School Board voted 4-3 in March to approve more officers, and Schenectady High School students staged a walkout in protest April 6.
Under the plan, the city schools would add four officers to the two existing staffers in the district — with officers also being spread out among the middle schools.