Teen charged with pointing loaded gun at classmate on Rockland County bus

SPRING VALLEY, New York (WABC) -- A teenager is under arrest after authorities say he pointed a loaded handgun at a classmate on a school bus in Rockland County.

Ramapo police say the 16-year-old victim had boarded a bus at Ramapo High School in Spring Valley at the end of the school day on Friday when another 16-year-old male student boarded the bus and sat next to him.

Police say the suspect was boasting about having a gun and allegedly brandished the weapon when the victim claimed he didn't believe it.

"The 16-year-old pointed it at the victim and threatened him, basically threatened to shoot him obviously with the gun, put it back into a knapsack type bag," said Ramapo Police Lt. Mark Emma. "They got to the stops and went their own way."

The victim reported this to his family later in the day at which point the Ramapo police were notified.

Police located the suspect Friday night in Nanuet, saying he was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by Timothy Brown, 23, of Spring Valley.

During a stop of the vehicle, the loaded handgun was found by detectives and both the 16-year-old suspect and Brown were arrested, police say.

The 16-year-old was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and menacing, and was sent to the Rockland County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Brown was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.

Investigators say there may be additional charges filed.

"We're looking to see if other students were hearing rumors which we want to follow up on to see if other students may or may not have been threatened as well, so that's one thing we're looking at," said Emma. "The fact that the gun was on school grounds is another charge."

The suspect's identity is not being released because of his age.