New Haven student arrested after loaded .357 Ruger found in his possession in school Student arrested after alert security officer located weapon

NEW HAVEN >> A Riverside Education Academy Magnet student was arrested at school Wednesday when a loaded .357 Ruger revolver was found in his possession, police said.

The juvenile was removed from the school and the gun was confiscated.

“Every gun has a story and it doesn’t end until you take it,” Police Chief Dean Esserman said Thursday morning at the department’s weekly intelligence meeting.

An alert security guard realized something was wrong and found the weapon in the student’s jacket, Assistant Police Chief Achilles Generoso said.

“It was good work by the security officer,” Generoso said.

Riverside, located on 560 Ella T. Grasso Blvd., is a magnet school for students in ninth through twelfth grade. Students who enter the building have to submit to a metal-detecting wand and also have their bags searched.

Alphallah Heard, a school security officer for 13 years, located the weapon in the student’s jacket.

“Kudos to him. We have standard operating procedures and escalation protocols and he followed his training to a T,” said Will Clark, chief operating officer for New Haven Public Schools.

Heard is the only security officer assigned to Riverside, though a second officer often assists, Clark said.

In a criminal situation such as this one, the school sends all of the information to police, who handle the investigation.

“This is a mandatory expulsion scenario under Connecticut law,” Clark said.

Good security is about being proactive, Clark said, and situations like this one are a reminder to stay vigilant.

“(Police) might have a badge and they might have the uniforms but everyone in the building has eyes and a mouth and a heart,” Clark said. “All of the adults, staff and students have a responsibility.”

Heard attended Thursday’s weekly intelligence meeting and was applauded for his efforts.

Sgt. Al McFadden brought him there “under a ruse,” telling him he was there for a different reason.

“It was good collaboration between police and the school and we’re going to work to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” said Sgt. Karl Jacobson, supervisor of the Criminal Intel Unit.

Reach Ryan Flynn at 203-680-9962.