LOWELL, MASS. (WHDH) - A 16-year-old male student at Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School has been charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a dangerous weapon on school grounds, assault and battery of a police officer and possession of ammunition without a license after allegedly bringing a loaded firearm into the school on Tuesday,
Officers responding to Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School, located on Middle Street in Lowell, around 12:45 p.m. spoke with building security guards who advised them that a student had warned that students were in possession of firearms and that there was a threat made to “shoot up the block,” according to a statement issued by Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan.
Police were quickly able to locate the suspect student, who was attempting to leave the school carrying an over-the-shoulder bag. Police detained that student, who struck the officer and attempted to flee. A loaded revolver was found inside the student’s bag and the juvenile was placed under arrest.
The school was then placed on lockdown, classes were stopped and three police K9s conducted a sweep of the school. That sweep was negative for further weapons.
“We will not tolerate illegal firearms in our schools in Middlesex County,” Ryan said. “In this case the young person who brought this loaded weapon into school put fellow students, school staff, himself, responding officers and everyone in the community at risk. I applaud the student who came forward to report this incident to a trusted adult. It is imperative that, as we continue to train parents, educators and law enforcement around the issue of gun violence in schools, that we remember that students are one of our best assets. We know that students are often more likely to hear these kinds of threats, see something on social media or have knowledge that a peer has access to a weapon. Guns and threats of violence have no place in our schools and we will hold responsible those who jeopardize the safety of our schools.”
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