Student, 14, Arrested, After Bullets Found At Riverhead High: PD

RIVERHEAD, NY — Riverhead High School was put on a "hold-in-place" response Friday after two students found bullets in the hallway, officials said.

The incident took place just four days after a Board of Education member apologized and then resigned after backlash about comments she made expressing concerns about crime and student safety.

According to Riverhead Town police, the incident took place at 12:48 p.m. at Riverhead High School. A 22 caliber bullet was recovered from a 14-year-old student by a security guard from the school, police said.

The security guard then notified the security director and a Riverhead Town police officer who was already present in the school, officials said.

During an interview with the teen in the presence of his parent, the officer learned that he had received the bullet from another student, also 14, police said.

That second student's guardian was then contacted and responded to the school, police said. While interviewing the second boy in the presence of his guardian, he said that he'd found the ammunition on a shelf at his brother's place of business, police said.

About 12 more 22-caliber bullets were recovered from the second 14-year-old, police said. After further investigation, it was determined that a 22-caliber rifle was legally owned by a family member of the second teen— and it was confirmed that the rifle was properly secured at a location not at the juvenile's home, police said.

The second 14-year-old student was arrested, processed, and released with an appearance ticket for Suffolk County family court, police said.

There was no evidence that a rifle or any weapon was present on school grounds, police said.

Superintendent Dr. Augustine Tornatore wrote a letter to families in the district Friday afternoon about the incident; he said a student found the bullet earlier Friday and immediately brought it to the attention of building administration.

A second student came to building administration with a bullet he was given that matched the first, Tornatore said. The Riverhead Police Department was immediately involved and began conducting an investigation. The school was put in a hold-in-place response until the student who brought the bullets to school was apprehended, Tornatore said.

The student did not have a weapon and is currently in police custody, Tornatore said. Riverhead High School moved from a hold-in-place response to a lockout to normal conditions, Tornatore said.

"At no point were any students, faculty or staff in harm’s way," Tornatore said. "Safety remains our highest priority, and the District will continue working with Riverhead Police on this investigation."

Friday's lockout left some students terrified and parents questioning security procedures at the school.

It was the second incident reported involving Riverhead High School this week, following the resignation of BOE Vice-President Laurie Downs.

A 16- year-old boy was attacked and cut with a knife on his way home from Riverhead High School Tuesday, police said.

According to Riverhead Town police, the incident took place at 1:33 p.m. on Old Country Road in Riverhead. The teen was walking home and was behind Harbor Freight Tools heading to the adjacent shopping plaza when he was confronted by five male juveniles, wearing black ski masks, who demanded his personal belongings while displaying a knife, police said.

A struggle ensued and the teen was cut in the chest with the knife, police said. He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The incidents took place after Downs resigned following a sea of heated opposition to statements she made at a recent civic association meeting.

According to a post in Riverhead Local, Downs was speaking about her concerns about possible gangs, and that students were getting jumped and robbed; Riverhead Town Police Chief David Hegermiller said the data did not support those fears.

The comments were made at a Heart of Riverhead Civic Association meeting on March 18 during which Hegermiller was engaging in a dialogue with the public. Her words, "I don't want us to become a Brentwood," caused enormous backlash, with members of both the Brentwood and Riverhead communities speaking out at what they called "hate-filled" and "racist" comments.

A meeting was held at the school this week with many Brentwood representatives and advocacy groups stating that her apology was "not enough" and change needed to happen.