Today, an incident unfolded at East Brooklyn Community High School in Brooklyn, as a 17-year-old student was discovered with a loaded firearm on school premises. The school, situated on Kings Highway, does not feature metal detectors, though there are two school safety agents on duty, according to CBS News New York.
The teen was found in possession of a loaded 9mm pistol, concealed in his waistband, after a fellow student alerted school authorities, prompting the involvement of the NYPD, the weapon was safely recovered without further incident. "The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority, and all students and staff are safe," a spokesperson for New York City Public Schools assured in a statement obtained by PIX11 News.
While no threats were reported to the school prior to the incident, and the NYPD have not released further details regarding a motive or how the student came to possess the gun. This incident is similar to one that occurred last month, when a student at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens was arrested for possessing a firearm after allegedly making threats of violence.
Amidst these alarming events the New York City Department of Education has acknowledged the critical role of scanners and metal detectors which are managed by the NYPD's School Safety Division, yet despite the growing concern for student safety these protocols remain unchanged since their inception in 2016. There is an ongoing investigation related to the most recent gun discovery, with school officials and law enforcement working closely to prevent future incidents.
