An 8-year-old boy was caught with a loaded gun stashed inside his backpack during a schoolyard performance at a Brooklyn school Friday, police sources and administrators said.
The unidentified student was found concealing the weapon inside his bag at PS 91 in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens at around noon, when a teacher became suspicious that he was the only student carrying backpack, sources said.
When questioned about why he had a backpack he refused to say, prompting the teacher to call the principal, sources said. A faculty member discovered the loaded .380 mm Taurus pistol inside.
Police were called to the school and secured the weapon, which was loaded with four bullets – two of which were the more destructive hollow-point.
The boy was taken to the 71st Precinct for questioning, according to sources. Cops are investigating how the child got his hands on the firearm.
School officials, in a formal letter, notified parents and guardians of the gun incident, which administrators said took place during the school’s “Spirit Day activities.”
“This morning, during morning performance in the school yard, a student was discovered carrying a weapon in his book bag,” the letter read. “The student along with the book bag, were taken into the building and the New York Police Department was notified.”
“All students and staff remained in the school yard while the NYPD conducted their investigation. No students or staff were harmed during this incident,” the letter continued.
The letter aimed to ease concerns of parents by saying, “every precaution was taken and will continue to be taken to ensure the safety of our students and staff.”
Gregory Floyd, the president of the Teamsters Local 237, who represents school safety agents, took the opportunity to rail on the city’s plan to remove metal detectors from about 80 schools.
“This is just another reason why the mayor and the chancellor should not be talking about taking metal detectors out of city schools. This school didn’t have metal detectors,” said Floyd.
He added, “The mayor is trying to hide these incidents from the parents in New York City. This is the sixth gun since March that we’ve found.”
Parents of children at the school Albany Avenue were stunned by the news.
“I came to pick up my daughter and I was just told what happened now. I’m in shock. It could have been a lot worse,” said Michael Roberts, 47, whose five-year-old daughter attends the school.
DOE spokeswoman Toya Holness said in a statement, “We are working closely with the NYPD as they investigate this deeply troubling incident. Nothing is more important than the safety of all students and staff and there is zero tolerance for weapons of any kind. NYPD swiftly responded and confiscated the weapon, students and staff are safe, and no injuries were sustained.”