A city of Niagara Falls elementary school student brought a BB-gun to school Tuesday. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says thanks to an observant student, the weapon was quickly discovered.
“A student reported to the dean of students at Harry Abate School that he believed a student had some kind of gun in his backpack or bag,” stated Mark Laurrie, superintendent, Niagara Falls City School District.
Superintendent Laurrie tells WBFO News a “broken, unloaded BB gun” was discovered in the backpack of a fourth-grader at the Harry Abate School. Laurrie said it’s so important for students to be the eyes and ears in a school building if something doesn't seem right.
“They may be the last, but the best line of defense – again – if you see something or hear something, say something. Don’t post it, don’t mumble about it – go to a responsible adult and if you do that, it works – and again – everybody was safe,” Laurrie remarked.
Laurrie said at "no time" did the student threaten to use the weapon or was involved in any dispute, but Niagara Falls city Police were called to the school.
The student is claiming his uncle left the weapon in his school bag and forgot about it. The student has been placed on suspension and will face a disciplinary hearing within the next five school days.
There is no school resource officer at the elementary school, but Laurrie noted police stepped up patrols Wednesday.
“Through the intercession of the police chief, we’ve had patrol person or two walk around the school just to reassure everybody that things are good,” Laurrie explained.
Teachers and parents were notified Tuesday of the incident through the district's 'Remind App'.
