Third Riverhead Middle School student arrested, accused of having a knife after search

A 13-year-old Riverhead Middle School student from Flanders was arrested Monday morning after school officials searched the student, his locker and belongings, found a knife and called the police, the district superintendent wrote in a public letter.

The teen, whose name isn’t being disclosed, is charged as a juvenile with unlawful possession of a weapon by a person younger than 16; he was released to a parent, according to a news release from the Riverhead Town Police Department.

The teen’s arrest comes three days after two other students at the same school — a 13 year-old from Riverhead and a 14-year old from Flanders — were arrested for allegedly bringing a BB gun and knives to the school. Those searches followed the administration learning of a “potential altercation” after school involving weapons.

Monday’s arrest came after “a member of the faculty was made aware of a student in possession of a weapon and immediately notified building administration,” according to a public letter from the middle school’s principal, Joseph Pesqueira.

“The administrative team, with the assistance of District security, immediately secured the student and searched their locker and belongings. The search led to the recovery of a knife,” the principal’s letter said.

A similar letter about the arrest from the district superintendent, Augustine E. Tornatore, identified the student as male, and says he was searched, too.

Through the district’s outside public relations firm, ZE Creative, Tornatore declined to answer questions. Officer Mettrock of the town police force, who did not give his first name, also declined to answer questions.

The letters were sent in English and Spanish.

All three students were charged with the same crime, which bans anyone under 16 from possessing any weapon such as an air-gun, spring-gun or other weapon, as well cartridges, ammunition, or a “dangerous” knife.

Details about whether Friday’s and Monday’s cases were related, what kind of knives were involved, and what sort of information precipitated the searches, were not disclosed.

According to the state Education Department, the middle school had one case of weapon possession in the 2020-2021 school year — the most recent for which figures are available, none in 2019-2020, four in 2018-2019 and none in 2017-2018.

Although students are covered by the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures, schools have more latitude with students if there is reasonable suspicion that the search will produce evidence that the student has violated or is violating the law, school rules, or both, according to a 1985 U.S. Supreme Court case.

The school can conduct such searches without a warrant.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.