Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that a 15-year-old male from Buffalo was arraigned this evening before Buffalo City Court Judge Diane Y. Wray, a designated Youth Part judge, on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony).
It is alleged that on Thursday, December 16, 2021, at approximately 11:00 a.m., police responded to Bennett High School on Main Street in the City of Buffalo to investigate the report of a gun inside the school. The school issued a shelter-in-place as police conducted a search of the building. Buffalo Police officers allegedly found a loaded handgun inside of a backpack.
The juvenile offender is currently remanded to the custody of the Erie County Youth Service Center pending a return court appearance tomorrow morning regarding bail.
The Erie County District Attorney’s Office will file a motion to prevent the case against the accused from being adjudicated in Family Court due to the serious nature of the alleged crime.
“I am thankful that no one was injured during this incident today. This teenager is accused of committing one of the most serious and concerning offenses – bringing a loaded handgun into his school. I am committed to keeping our schools safe. Any crime, or threat of a potential crime, at a school in Erie County will be thoroughly investigated by my office and our partners in law enforcement. My office will continue to file motions requesting that any case involving a juvenile found in possession of an illegal gun, especially on school grounds, remain in Youth Part to ensure that these teenage offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
