Mahwah Student Brought Air Pellet Gun To School After 'Threat'

MAHWAH, NJ — A student brought an air pellet gun to school Friday because he was scared that a student threatened to "shoot up" Ramapo Ridge Middle School.

A parent notified staff at Joyce Kilmer School that the student brought the gun there and showed it to other students during the morning bus ride, Superintendent C. Lauren Schoen and Police Chief James Batelli said in a letter to township families.

After school officials received the information police investigated, along with school administrators and confirmed that the student did show the gun to kids on the bus ride to school, the letter stated.

Police interviewed the student and took possession of the Airsoft gun.

Schoen and Batelli said that the student "had no intention of causing harm."

Authorities stressed the need to talk with children about the importance of "see something, say something."

"Our community and school safety relies on all members working together and remaining vigilant to sharing information with proper authorities," Schoen and Batelli said. "It is important to talk to your children honestly about these recent events, recognizing that how much 'honesty' is appropriate is different for each child. Please be mindful of what information your child is consuming, and help them process that information accordingly. Rumors at school, social media posts, or overhearing conversations between adults can be overwhelming, particularly for younger children."

A student made the threat against Ramapo Ridge School several months ago, according to reports.

In a letter to local families earlier this month, Mahwah Board of Education President Kim Barron and Superintendent C. Lauren Schoen said officials are maintaining "an active and regular dialogue" with Chief James Batelli and the Mahwah Police Department.

Mahwah Mayor William Laforet said in a Facebook post recently that he directed Batelli to place uniformed, armed police officers at every township school in response to the Ramapo Ridge threat.

Related: Mahwah Mayor Wants Armed Cops At Every School

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