A 15-year-old student brought a gun to the Wolcott High School on Friday, the police chief said.
Police executed a search and seizure warrant at the student's home on Tuesday after they learned a gun was seen on the bus leaving the high school on Jan. 19, Wolcott Police Chief Edward Stephens said.
The boy had also been boasting about having a gun in school on Facebook. A photo purportedly shows the gun tucked in the boy's waistband while he was wearing the same outfit he wore on Friday, according to Stephens. Police said he had not made any threats.
"All the buses have surveillance footage and audio," Lt. Lenny Greene with Wolcott police said. "We were able to see what we thought was a gun. From that, we pulled up his social media. He did in fact state he brought a gun into school."
It is not clear if the gun was loaded at school on Friday.
"I would like to stress that, at no time did the student speak about, show, or brandish the weapon to any student or staff member," Wolcott Schools Superintendent Tony Gasper said in a letter sent to parents.
Gasper said the student will not be returning to the school "for the foreseeable future." In addition, parents should expect to see an increased police presence at schools in the district on Wednesday.
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When police searched the 15-year-old's home on Tuesday, they found a 9mm semi-automatic loaded with a round in the chamber and no safety between the boy's mattress. Police learned the gun was stolen from South Carolina, Stephens said.
Police said when they asked the boy about the gun, he laughed.
The boy was charged with criminal possession of a firearm. Since there is a younger sister in the home and the gun was under the mattress, the boy will also be charged with neglectful storage of a firearm. Both charges are felonies.
An additional arrest warrant is being created for having a weapon on school property and breach of peace.
The 15-year-old has prior felony convictions for stealing cars.
