2 teens arrested after BB gun, knives found in Riverhead Middle School search
The Riverhead Middle School was notified Friday of a "potential altercation with weapons" planned for after school, according to a letter from the Riverhead School District. Credit: Tom Lambui/Tom Lambui
Two Riverhead Middle School students were arrested Friday morning for allegedly bringing a BB gun and two knives to school, village police said.
Riverhead police responded to the middle school at 9:30 a.m. after being notified by school district officials that they had confiscated the gun and knives during a search of the students and their lockers. The search came after the building administration learned of a “potential altercation” after school with illegal weapons, officials said.
The weapons have been turned over to the police, authorities said.
A 13-year-old from Riverhead and a 14-year-old from Flanders were arrested and charged with unlawful possession of weapons by persons under the age of 16.
No student, faculty or staff were in harm’s way during the incident, Riverhead School District Superintendent Augustine Tornatore wrote in a message posted on the district’s website.
Tornatore said the students involved in the incident would be disciplined in accordance with the district’s code of character, conduct and support.
The juveniles were processed at Riverhead Police headquarters and released to their parents for a future court appearance.
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Education: Howard University
Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.
Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation; New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting; Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.
