By Patrick Donachie
A teenager brought a loaded gun into his Jamaica school Thursday morning, the second such incident at a Jamaica public school in the past week, police said.
The NYPD was called after school administrators found the 15-year old student had smuggled a loaded handgun into York Early College Academy, at 133-25 Guy R Brewer Blvd., the authorities said. School administrators learned that the student was in possession of a firearm after he threatened another student, according to a police spokeswoman.
The weapon was confiscated and the student was arrested at the school, she said. He was subsequently charged with criminal possession of a weapon, as well as menacing, according to the NYPD spokeswoman.
Students at the school were held in their classrooms before being dismissed.
Three days earlier, an 11-year old student was caught after he brought a loaded 9mm pistol to Public School 40, at 109-20 Union Hall St., police said. The gun was hidden in his backpack and allegedly belonged to Kenneth Miley, 54, the student’s grandfather, the NYPD said. Miley was later arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment, according to police.
The NYPD spokeswoman said the incidents at PS 40 and York Early College Academy were wholly unrelated.
City Department of Education spokeswoman Toya Holness responded to the arrest at York Early College Academy in an e-mailed statement.
“This is deeply alarming and we are working closely with the NYPD to ensure that all students and staff are safe,” she said. “The Police Department immediately responded and are investigating the troubling incident. We are providing additional resources to support the school community and families were notified.”
York Early College Academy’s high school received high marks from students, parents and teachers in a 2014-2015 School Quality Snapshot conducted by the DOE. The school has a 94 percent four-year graduation rate, compared to a 70 percent citywide average. Some 91 percent of students at the school “feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms, locker room, and cafeteria” according to the report.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
