10-year-old student brings loaded gun to Long Island elementary school
BALDWIN, Long Island (WABC) -- Police are investigating after a 10-year-old student allegedly brought a loaded handgun to his Long Island elementary school Monday.
The fourth-grader was caught with a loaded .40-caliber Glock at Meadow Elementary School in Baldwin, officials confirmed.
"It's my biggest fear," one parent said. "I fear it every day, and now that I hear it, I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight, honestly. You know, it's just a nightmare. It's something that you hear it happens at other schools. Now that you hear it happened at your child's school, it's terrifying."
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said the boy was in the lunchroom showing something in a bag to a friend when the lunch monitor noticed the bag seemed heavy. The monitor checked the bag and found what appeared to be a handgun, before notifying the principal.
The child was brought to the office, where school resource officers recovered the weapon. Ryder said there was a bullet in the chamber and several others in the magazine.
No injuries were reported.
"We see it on TV every day, and we don't believe that it's so close to us," another parent said.
The Baldwin School District issued the following statement:
"The safety of our students and staff is always a top priority in the Baldwin School District. Our staff was made aware of the occurrence, the police were notified and the situation was rectified immediately. Due to confidentiality laws, we cannot disclose any further details."
The boy is being questioned with his father.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran touted the school's response.
"Their children's physical and emotional safety is our top priority," she said. "That is why we have a very comprehensive protocol for incidents such as this. And I have to say, the protocol worked. We must make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep your children safe. And that is exactly what we're doing."
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