Police: B-A student had airsoft gun
Second student also charged with posting video of airsoft gun without notifying adult
Trending
Two 16-year-old Bellwood-Antis students are charged with disorderly conduct after one took an airsoft pistol to school Monday and the other made a Snapchat video of it, according to a report by state police at Hollidaysburg.
"State police notified us (Monday) evening. We follow state law for safe schools, and we have policies and procedures in place for discipline. They are good kids who made a mistake," Bellwood-Antis Superintendent Tom McInroy said. "We've been working with the families, but we are still required to abide by our policies and procedures (for student discipline)," he said.
It was a clear, orange-tipped airsoft pistol that one boy forgot was in his backpack, McInroy said.
"If he would have just said 'I forgot it was there' and turned it in that morning, there would have been no issue. We want to encourage that communication. But when we don't know the intent, we have to assume the intent to harm," McInroy said. "It's a teachable moment for parents to inform their children about what's appropriate to bring to school and what's not. We have a lot of kids who live on farms and have pocketknives because they are out working, and they may forget it's in their pocket," he said as another example.
According to the police report: "The accused forgot to remove an airsoft pistol from his backpack before going to school on Monday morning. He told another student on the bus on the way home that he had the (airsoft gun) back on him. … (He) then showed students the air gun on the bus and one of them made a Snapchat video of it. … Numerous parents notified state police. … An investigation was conducted with both the accused and the student who posted the video without notifying an adult or school official, causing a sense of alarm throughout the Bellwood community."
McInroy said after the investigation, the district sent out a mass phone message to parents saying the district was cooperating with state police and there was no immediate threat.
"The health, safety and welfare of our students is our top priority," McInroy said.