A routine school day at Cambria Heights Academy in Hollis took a serious turn Monday when a 14-year-old student was taken into custody after school safety agents found a loaded handgun in his backpack, police said. The weapon was recovered around 11:05 a.m., and officials said there was no ongoing threat to students or staff. Authorities told investigators the campus is a non-scanning school, meaning the gun was not picked up by entry scanners because there are none in place.
The discovery was first reported by PIX11, which said school safety agents quickly removed the teen and turned the case over to the NYPD for further investigation. Cambria Heights Academy did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the outlet.
Another Find Amid A String Of Similar Incidents
The recovery is the latest in a series of weapons-related discoveries at New York City schools that has reignited debate over scanners, staffing levels and support services for students. In February, a Bronx charter student was reportedly stopped after walking past metal detectors with a loaded handgun, and ABC7 New York has tracked multiple recent incidents in which school safety agents recovered weapons. Those cases have fueled renewed calls for expanding the use of metal detectors and bolstering resources for school safety staff.
What Authorities Say And Next Steps
Police said school safety agents took the boy into custody and that detectives are now reviewing the circumstances to determine whether to bring charges, according to the PIX11 report. The NYPD and Department of Education typically coordinate on these kinds of investigations, and any potential charges would proceed through the juvenile system if prosecutors decide to move forward. School officials said support would be available to the campus community while investigators continue their work.
