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NORWALK, Conn. A student found with a starter pistol at Brien McMahon High School Monday morning was charged with possession of a firearm, Police Chief Harry Rilling said.
The 16-year-old boy was walking away from the school with three classmates between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m., as the school day was beginning and other students were heading into their classes, Rilling said. The principal spotted the group crossing a field behind the school and drove around to stop them. She called School Resource Officer Jeremy Salley. The adults suspected the boys had marijuana, which gave Salley probable cause to search their backpacks.
The officer and principal thought the boy had a handgun before they realized it was a starter pistol, which fires blanks, not bullets. Police don't know why he had the pistol. Because of his age, Rilling could not say if the boy had a record.
The Youth Bureau will investigate. "We are investigating every possible reason a young man would have that and why he would bring that to school," Rilling said.
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