Seven-year-old charged after bringing toy ‘Nerf’ gun to school

A seven-year-old boy is facing misdemeanour criminal charges after bringing a toy gun to class, it has been reported.

The child had taken a $5 toy shotgun that shoots soft plastic balls to Hammonton Early Childhood Education Centre in New Jersey but has received a punishment far stronger than detention.

The boy, who has not been named, has been charged with possessing an imitation firearm in or on an education institution, a charge classed as a misdemeanour in New Jersey.

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Offensive weapon: A 7-year-old brought a toy gun, similar to that pictured here, to a New Jersey school

Despite the toy gun causing no harm, nor there being any evidence of the boy threatening anyone, school officials have defended their decision to call the police.

Dr Dan Blachford, the Hammonton Board of Education superintendent, said the school operates zero tolerance policy.

‘We are just very vigilant and we feel that if we draw a very strict line then we have much less worry about someone bringing in something dangerous,’ he told NBC Philadelphia.

Zero tolerance: Officials at the Hammonton Early Childhood Education Centre called police over the incident

Deseire Gherard, a parent of a student at the school, said she supported the decision to alert police to the ‘suspicious activity’.

‘I'd rather it be dealt with more severely than not,’ Mr Gherard said.

‘I would rather them go a little bit too far for the safety of all the children then to say “okay, it was probably nothing”.’

The boy involved has been described by school officials as a ‘nice kid’ and a ‘good student’ despite his recent brush with the law.

It has not been confirmed what disciplinary action the boy faces but local sources indicate he could receive counselling sessions over the incident.





