Categories: News, Schenectady County

Police detained two students after a fake gun was recovered at Schenectady High School on Thursday afternoon, authorities said. The two students possessed an air gun/BB gun that imitated the look of a real gun, police said Thursday night. The school was placed on lockdown during the incident.

Police responded to the school after a school administrator received information at about 2:45 p.m. that a student had a weapon inside the building, a school spokeswoman said.

The administrator then immediately placed the school on lockdown and contacted police. A lockdown restricts movement inside the building, keeping everyone in locked classrooms, among other moves.

School personnel then worked with arriving officers to find the individuals potentially involved, police said. Police recovered what they called an imitation handgun and detained two youths for questioning. At least five police cars responded.

District spokeswoman Karen Corona said the entire incident from first report to police removing at least one student lasted about 30 minutes. The school then lifted the lockdown.

Corona said the initial report of the weapon related to a student inside the building.

Students standing outside the school during the incident said the school had been in previous restrictive states earlier in the day.

Corona said that the high school, along with two other district schools, were placed on a less-restrictive lockout for apparent police activity near the impacted schools. A lockout means no one is allowed in, but the school day goes on as normal.

The detained youths were taken to the Schenectady Police Department to be interviewed by Youth Aid detectives.

Police charged both with one count each of unlawful possession of a firearm by persons under the age of 16 and with a violation of a city ordinance prohibiting the possession of an air gun/BB gun.

Police spokesman Sgt. Matthew Dearing said the air gun/BB gun meets the standard for the firearms possession charge.

Dearing confirmed there are no accusations of any threats made with the imitation gun.

Each student is accused of possessing the lone imitation gun. Dearing did not have information on how.

Police released the students, both under the age of 16, to their parents. The charges will be heard in Family Court.