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In Hartford County, police in Farmington announced on Monday, Dec. 13 that a 14-year-old has been accused of having a gun at the high school earlier this month.
According to police, the student - whose name has not been released due to his age - was in possession of a gun on school grounds on Friday, Dec. 3, as investigators looked into an unrelated threat days later on Monday, Dec. 6.
“On Monday, Dec. 6, Farmington High School administrators sent an email to parents informing them of an alleged threat based on an incident that allegedly took place in mid-November,” Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson wrote to the community, noting that the threat was not credible and the case is closed.
“However, this email sent by school administrators prompted a Farmington High School student to report a separate incident that involved a student possessing a firearm on school grounds.”
The school reportedly received news of the incident at approximately 4:30 a.m. the following morning on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Officials said that the student in question has not been in the school since Dec. 6 when it was first reported to the police.
Police charged the student with:
- Illegal possession of a weapon on school grounds;
- Carrying a pistol without a permit;
- Illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle;
- Risk of injury to a minor.
The gun has not been recovered, and the teen is being held in a state-run juvenile detention center.
Following the threat, school officials said that the police department has increased its presence at the high school as a precaution, including additional patrols at the high school and other school buildings in Farmington.
“Possession of a firearm on school grounds is a disturbing event and a severe violation of school safety; however, the investigation did not reveal any threats of gun violence associated with this incident,” Melanson said. “The Farmington Police Department is working closely with school administrators and has increased its presence over the past week and will continue with those efforts.”
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