Brooklyn school recovers 21 weapons including stun guns day after ghost gun seized
Just a day after officials found a ghost gun in a student's bag in a public school in Brooklyn, a surprise inspection has led to the seizure of many more. On December 2, officials at the Adam's Street campus school conducted an unannounced metal detector check, leading to 21 weapons from pepper sprays to stun guns being seized. It's part of a massive increase in weapon seizures in schools in New York City, despite efforts from Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The incident comes just days after Ethan Crumbley killed four and injured several others in a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan. As we reported, Crumbley used a pistol bought by his father on a Black Friday sale to kill fellow students, before being arrested and slapped with a slew of charges, including domestic terrorism. Apart from the NRA's tone-deaf tweet on the matter, almost all Americans were united in their condemnation of the incident and called for better gun control.
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In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio has been attempting to combat gun violence on school campuses with random metal detector checks, since most public schools don't have permanent ones. It was one of those checks that led to the surprise haul, shocking police, and even the Department of Education (DoE).
Ghost gun seizure leads to discovery
On December 1, a 17-year-old student of the Urban Assembly School of Law and Justice was caught with a gun in his bag. As he arrived late for class, a secretary in the school’s administrative office saw what looked like a gun in his bag and altered the dean. Cops then arrived, and seized the handgun, along with several stacks of $100s, $50s, and $5, totaling $30,000.
It's unclear where the cash or gun came from, with an investigation into the incident ongoing. Reportedly, the gun was a 'ghost gun', i.e. one made from DIY sets with no serial numbers for law enforcement to track. Charges against the teen are still pending, but it put police and school officials on high alert. The next day, they conducted a random metal detector check at the school building, where around 1,000 students study.
Amongst other things, police seized nine knives, seven pepper spray canisters, four stun guns, and one set of brass knuckles. "All protocols were followed, and school staff is following up with students regarding appropriate interventions," said DoE spokesman Nathaniel Styer. In November, the department blamed the city's massive crime spate for the increase in weapons at schools. "They don’t feel safe as they transition through multiple communities traveling to school," the department's security director said.
Shortly afterward, the DoE and school leaders held a town safety hall meeting with parents. It's unclear what was said, but Styner noted, "We need to figure out why this is happening. Scanning is not the only solution. We need to see why these kids are doing this." The discovery reflects citywide statistics, that show a 30% increase in weapons seizures at schools between July and October 2021, compared to the same periods in 2018 and 2019.