On a recent morning at Butler Middle School in Waukesha, a 13-year-old student was placed under arrest after being accused of bringing a fake gun to school. The incident, which unfolded yesterday, caused immediate action by school officials and law enforcement. As reported by WISN, it all started when a fellow student noticed what appeared to be a handgun in the teen's backpack and alerted the staff around 7:30 a.m.
The supposed weapon, which turned out to be an altered Orbeez toy gun capable of shooting small, water-absorbent beads, had been purposefully modified to look more realistic. Despite the initial panic, the Waukesha Police Department stated that it was quickly determined to be a facsimile firearm. "It was specifically altered," the police emphasized. The quick-thinking informant was commended by officers for their swift action in reporting the potentially dangerous situation, as per a news release.
Ryan Patt, the Waukesha School District's assistant superintendent of student services, told jsonline that from the moment the student reported seeing the fake gun until administrators retrieved it, less than a minute had elapsed. Contrary to initial finds, the student in question was not in possession of the faux firearm when apprehended, as it was subsequently found in a locker.
What could have been written off as a harmless toy was instead taken seriously as a possible threat – a sentiment echoed in the handling of the event by both the school and police force. "An Orbeez gun is a toy," confirmed police in a statement obtained by TMJ4, clarifying the non-lethal nature of the item in question after it was secured.
