Charlestown High students arrested after 2 guns found inside school
CHARLESTOWN – Two students are in custody and facing charges after two loaded guns were found at Charlestown High School Thursday.
At 10:10 am, Boston Police were called to the school after a staff member found one of the guns in a backpack belonging to a 13-year-old boy from Hyde Park.
The staff member searched his backpack after he "was observed discarding packaging of vaping materials into a trash can" in a fourth floor bathroom.
Police said the gun was a "9mm handgun with the slide of a Glock 26 affixed to a polymer frame loaded with 8 rounds of ammunition." The school was placed in "safe mode" and the boy was arrested.
At about 12:30 pm, school administrators found a second loaded 9mm handgun in an unattended backpack. It was later determined the backpack belonged to a 17-year-old boy from Mission Hill who was in the bathroom with the first suspect. He was arrested without incident.
The 13-year-old was was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. The juvenile was held on $2,500 bail and ordered to be under home confinement and stay away from Charlestown High School and any witnesses.
The 17-year-old will be arraigned on Friday.
In a statement, Boston Public Schools called it a "serious security breach."
"We are grateful no one was hurt and we want to ensure students get all of the support they require," BPS said in a statement. "Our schools must be safe learning environments where students and staff feel secure."
Some students were uncertain if there was an actual shooter in the school on Thursday.
"The teachers were making us feel safe with their words, but it was still nerve-wracking," student Jamille Yamio said. "I didn't want anything bad to happen."
Junior Brandon Myers says he was anxious and knew little of what was happening. "A lot of things went through my mind not knowing what was happening, if a school shooting would happen," Myers said.
Some students tell WBZ-TV metal detectors at the school were removed during the pandemic.
"I'm questioning how the school doesn't have the funds to make sure kids don't bring guns into the school," Yamio said.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu released a statement saying, "As a mom, I am heartbroken that any of our young people would make the dangerous decision to carry a weapon, and am determined that each of our children will be and feel safe in our schools, on their commutes to school, and throughout our neighborhoods."