A minor was found with a loaded gun at a Boston school late in the school day on Thursday. Boston police say they recovered a loaded firearm from a 7-year-old student attending Up Academy Holland school near Olney Street. Police received a report of a student with a gun at school around 3:30 p.m. and discovered the student with the loaded gun. Detectives from the Boston Police School Unit were investigating the incident. “I’m speechless. I don’t have the words. This is truly devastating,” Boston Public Schools superintendent Mary Skipper said. “We have to ask ourselves how does a very young student come into possession of and gain access to a firearm.” “We are grateful to the BPD and first responders who attended the scene immediately,” Skipper said. “We can’t do this work alone. When a young person has access to a firearm out of accessibility, we really have to ask ourselves, how does this happen?” Some parents reacted with anger and disbelief. “It’s crazy. It’s scary,” said Javier Rosario. “You leave your child every morning and think he’s safe,” said Ana Felicier. years,” Wu said. “A child doesn’t just have a gun.” The discovery came the same day Boston City Hall officials held a hearing on public safety in schools. Councilors held the hearing in part because they feared crimes at the school would be reported to the police. As the hearing took place earlier in The Same Day, a student was found with a bullet at the Richard J. Murphy School in Dorchester. “I feel like this generation, they feel like they live in Grand Theft Auto,” said Naomi Hastings. Hastings is a mother who took her daughter out of the Boston public school system. She wants more police in the schools. “There is no respect for authority anymore.” This month, police said a teenager shot another outside Burke High School in Dorchester. A few weeks earlier, a teenager had been stabbed by another inside the same school. In May, two teenagers were arrested for bringing loaded guns to school in Charlestown. This week alone, more incidents have occurred near schools. “We had four different situations where our schools were placed in safe mode due to threats in the surrounding community,” Skipper said. During the 2018-2019 school year, there were 243 incidents of bullying in the BPS. In 2021-22, the number rose to 440. There has also been an increase in the number of sexual assaults, from 430 in the 2018-2019 school year to 744 last year. “It’s great that they don’t hide the numbers, but in the past they didn’t even try to report them,” Councilwoman Erin Murphy said. BPS said the increase in numbers is the result of a new and improved reporting system, according to councillors. The superintendent said she is working on a solution for students, but schools cannot do it alone. “They’ve had an incredibly tough year,” Skipper said. “Is there a plan? We are working on the plan. But we cannot work in isolation.
A minor was found with a loaded gun at a Boston school late in the school day on Thursday.
Boston police say they recovered a loaded firearm from a 7-year-old student attending Up Academy Holland school near Olney Street.
Police received a report of a student with a gun at school around 3:30 p.m. and discovered the student with the loaded gun.
Detectives from the Boston Police School Unit were investigating the incident.
“I’m speechless. I don’t have the words. This is truly devastating,” Boston Public Schools superintendent Mary Skipper said. “We have to ask ourselves how does a very young student come into possession of and gain access to a firearm.”
“We are grateful to the BPD and first responders who attended the scene immediately,” Skipper said. “We can’t do this work alone. When a young person has access to a firearm out of accessibility, we really have to ask ourselves, how does this happen?”
Some parents reacted with anger and disbelief.
“It’s crazy. It’s nerve-wracking,” Javier Rosario said.
“You leave your child every morning and think he’s safe,” said Ana Felicier.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the person responsible for granting access to the weapon will be held accountable.
“My son is 7 years old,” Wu said. “A child doesn’t just have a gun.”
The discovery came the same day Boston City Hall officials held a hearing on public safety in schools.
Councilors held the hearing in part because they feared crimes at the school would be reported to the police.
As the hearing took place earlier today, a student was found with a bullet at the Richard J. Murphy School in Dorchester.
“I feel like this generation, they feel like they live in Grand Theft Auto,” said Naomi Hastings.
Hastings is a mother who took her daughter out of the Boston public school system. She wants more police in the schools.
“We’re two months away. There’s been shootings, stabbings, assaulting staff members,” Hastings said. “There is no respect for authority anymore.”
This month, police said a a teenager shot another outside Burke High School in Dorchester. A few weeks earlier, a teenager had been stabbed by another at the same school.
In May, two teenagers were arrested for bringing weapons loaded at Charlestown school. This week alone, other incidents have occurred near schools.
“We had four different situations where our schools were placed in safe mode due to threats in the surrounding community,” Skipper said.
During the 2018-2019 school year, there were 243 incidents of bullying in the BPS. In 2021-22, the number rose to 440. There has also been an increase in the number of sexual assaults, from 430 in the 2018-2019 school year to 744 last year.
“It’s great that they don’t hide the numbers, but in the past they didn’t even try to report them,” Councilwoman Erin Murphy said.
BPS said the increase in numbers is the result of a new and improved reporting system, according to councillors.
The superintendent said she is working on a solution for students, but schools cannot do it alone.
“They’ve had an incredibly tough year,” Skipper said. “Is there a plan? We are working on the plan. But we cannot work in isolation.
