Boy, 8, faces assault charge over toy gun

[dwarven1]

Boy, 8, faces assault charge over toy gun
February 16, 2007

FALL RIVER
An 8-year-old Fall River boy was arrested Tuesday morning after threatening other pupils at Frank Silvia School with a toy gun, police said. According to the Fall River Police Department, the boy brought the toy gun onto a school bus and threatened at least two other pupils. When he arrived at school, the boy allegedly made further threats against children in a bathroom area, insisting that the weapon was real. School officials contacted police, and officers on the scene determined that the gun was a toy. The boy was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, threat to commit a crime, and disturbing a school assembly, police said.

 

[sellscottsell]

Looks like this kid is off to a great start as a career criminal. I know little boys like to play with toy guns, but what do you think pushed this kid over the edge?

 

[sksguns]

I haven't viewed an toy guns of late but couldn't one of the teachers taken the toy gun from him and not callthe police?

I assume if the kid was insisting the gun was reall that some of the children had serious doubts that it was real and proably knew it was a toy.

Three days supsension should be good enough but not arrested...

Lets let the punishment and reaction fit the situation.

 

[Twigg]

Lets let the punishment and reaction fit the situation.

But... but... that would make sense !

 

[sksguns]

But... but... that would make sense !

Sorry. I won't say anything else.. lmao!!!!!!!

 

[sellscottsell]

I haven't viewed an toy guns of late but couldn't one of the teachers taken the toy gun from him and not callthe police?

That would be akin to when the police would just make us dump out our beer. Remember?

It’s a different time and a different day. I remember explaining to the Principal in Jr. High School why I was caught showing a rather large lock-blade knife to a fellow student in class. At the end of the day I was able to go to his office and retrieve my knife, no suspension, no detention, just a reminder not to take knives to school.

What would happen if this occurred today? I’d have been arrested, suspended and not allowed back in school until a thorough psychiatric exam was completed. You can’t take chances and you have to be vigilant of what your kids are doing.

 

[icyclefar]

Lock him up in the Little Tikes Play House and throw away the key.

 

[sksguns]

That would be akin to when the police would just make us dump out our beer. Remember?

It’s a different time and a different day. I remember explaining to the Principal in Jr. High School why I was caught showing a rather large lock-blade knife to a fellow student in class. At the end of the day I was able to go to his office and retrieve my knife, no suspension, no detention, just a reminder not to take knives to school.

What would happen if this occurred today? I’d have been arrested, suspended and not allowed back in school until a thorough psychiatric exam was completed. You can’t take chances and you have to be vigilant of what your kids are doing.

I agree that would happen to you today if yuo brought a locking blade knife to school..or a kitchen knofe for that fact...

But I have to believe a teacher or the principle took the toy gun from the student....and they were probably in posession of it when the police arrived. At that point you just suspend the kid and put it in his record at school.

Yes we have to be vigilant but we also have to reasonable. The over-reation of the authorites and school officials probably did more harm than good. Should have just let the parent shandle it afte the suspension.

 

[icyclefar]

Want to take bets ..............

No LTC for him EVER

 

[hminsky]

I remember in high school some kid, a real neanderthal, brought a real gun to school, not sure what he was doing with it. I don't remember what happened to him. But they didn't lock down the whole school. What probably happened was the auto mechanics teacher punched him in the face and took it away from him. Ah the good old days.

 

[BONZCNC]

Yes we have to be vigilant but we also have to reasonable. The over-reation of the authorites and school officials probably did more harm than good. Should have just let the parent handle it after the suspension.

I couldn't have said it better myself...

 

[crak]

Disrupting a school assembly is a criminal offense? Is anything not illegal these days?

As for the rest of it, the fastest way to get toy guns banned for everybody is to not treat this kind of thing seriously. Enjoy juvie you punk chump.

 

[jamz]

Kid sounds pretty messed up.

I bet if he had access to a real gun he'd have taken that instead.

 

[Erebus]

I remember in high school(Fitchburg High School '91 or '92 not sure on the year it happened) a gun was confiscated by a VP and the student was arrested and expelled. No lock down, no freak-out by the administration, no SWAT team, they just dealt with it when it was reported by another student. As a matter of fact many students weren't even aware it had occurred until the next day.

The next day homeroom was extended a little while the VPs went from room to room explaining what happened very thoroughly and obviously they explained the school's gun policy. Within a few days it was no longer even a topic of conversation as the homeroom visits has squashed any room for rumors and speculation.

If this kid deserves a severe punishment for threatening people, but freaking out over every little issue like we do nowadays is ridiculous.

 

[Ripach]

I have info from a very reliable person that it was actually a .177cal BB gun. While not technically a toy still for most part it's harmless.
unless of course you shoot your eye out.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

. . . At that point you just suspend the kid and put it in his record at school.

Yes we have to be vigilant but we also have to be reasonable. The over-reaction of the authorites and school officials probably did more harm than good. Should have just let the parents handle it after the suspension.

Two possibilities here. The over-reaction either demonstrates just how out of touch with reality our mostly-left-wing teachers are; or it's part of a deliberate policy to indoctrinate the young with the concept that firearms = unspeakable evil.

Occams Razor would suggest that the first explanation is the more likely, but I don't rule out the second one.

And no, I don't line my hats with tin-foil. I tried that, and found it to be too uncomfortable!

Regards
John

 

[matt]

Kid sounds pretty messed up.

I bet if he had access to a real gun he'd have taken that instead.

Oh come on... the kid is 8! That's what, 2nd grade?

Arrested... good greif...

 

[JonJ]

He got what he deserved. He made threats with a "weapon". Maybe now he'll get the help it appears that he needs.
What if it was knife, feel the same?
What if he stuck the "weapon" in your kids face?

And if no one here thinks that a BB or pellet gun can't cause serious injury, you're kidding yourself.

 

[Jose]

it's part of a deliberate policy to indoctrinate the young with the concept that firearms = unspeakable evil.

That's my opinion. I also have strong anecdotal evidence that public school indoctrination includes a good does of snitching and spying.

Prepping kids to be good little socialists.

 

[dixidawg]

I actually made a .22 zip gun in metal shop. Got an A for it too....

Ah the good old days.....

 

[MaverickNH]

Early '70s in Iowa, a friend kept a 45 revolver in his glove box so we could shoot out in the sticks (corn, actually) after school. It came up in discussions with one of those Anti-War, Anti-Nixon, Soldiers-are-Baby-Killers type teachers and the next thing he and I are in the front office. The Principle asked if he ever brought it into school. My friend says no. The Principle says good - just keep it that way.

The understanding was that hunting firearms stayed in your trunk during school, so I guess that applied to handguns too. That and most senior teachers were card-carrying John Birch Society members probably made the difference.

 

[Martlet]

I remember in high school some kid, a real neanderthal, brought a real gun to school, not sure what he was doing with it. I don't remember what happened to him. But they didn't lock down the whole school. What probably happened was the auto mechanics teacher punched him in the face and took it away from him. Ah the good old days.

When I was in HS we brought guns to school all the time during hunting and trapping season. You just had to leave them in your car or drop them off at the principal's office.