Introduction to the Incident
As students at Cardozo High were getting used to increased security on their Bayside campus, their 16-year-old classmate was being criminally charged for bringing a loaded gun to school and making terroristic threats.
Photo by Athena Dawson
Details of the Charges
A 16-year-old student at Benjamin Cardozo High School was criminally charged with gun possession and making terroristic threats for threatening to “shoot the school up” on social media, and brought a loaded gun to the Bayside campus on Thursday, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
The sophomore from Springfield Gardens was arraigned Friday in Queens Supreme Court on a complaint charging him with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, making a terroristic threat and other related crimes. If convicted and granted youthful offender status, he faces up to 1 ⅓ to four years in prison.
Investigation and Arrest
According to the charges, on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 18, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, notified the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center that a user posted to the platform at approximately 10:17 a.m. saying “TS GMY…BOUTTA SHOOT THE SCHOOL UP.” Records reviewed by the FBI identified the last location of the IP address associated with the Instagram account as Benjamin Cardozo High School.
The Instagram post included a photo of what appeared to be classwork depicting a drawing of the outline of a human body overlaid with the threatening text in white lettering.
The sophomore from Springfield Gardens allegedly posted this threat to shoot up the school on his Instagram account. Meta alerted the FBI, who notified the NYPD, and the boy was arrested before anyone was harmed.
Courtesy of the NYPD
Recovery of the Firearm
An NYPD database reviewed the phone number connected to the IP address to be associated with the 16-year-old defendant. Police from the 111th Precinct in Bayside responded to the Cardozo campus at 57-00 223rd St. and observed the defendant inside a conference room with a backpack and a cell phone. An NYPD officer placed a call to the cell phone number associated with the Instagram account which then reflected an incoming call from the officer’s phone on the device the 16-year-old had in his possession.
Subsequently, officers searched the defendant’s backpack and recovered a black Taurus GX4 9mm pistol loaded with a magazine containing 11 9mm rounds of ammunition and a magazine extender containing two 9mm rounds of ammunition.
Police from the 111th Precinct in Bayside recovered this loaded 9mm firearm from the boy’s backpack.
Courtesy of the NYPD
Statement from the Queens District Attorney
“As alleged, a 16-year-old student brought a loaded gun into his high school and threatened to do harm,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Thanks to the quick action of our law enforcement partners at the NYPD and the FBI, a tragedy was averted.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Leigh Cheng set bail at $100,000 cash, $250,000 partially secured bond, $350,000 bond. and released the defendant under intensive community monitoring. He was ordered to return to court on Sept. 26.
“Gun violence has stolen too many young lives in our communities,” Katz said. “And we are extremely grateful that this incident did not result in anyone being hurt or worse.”
Conclusion
The incident at Cardozo High School highlights the importance of swift action by law enforcement and social media companies in preventing potential tragedies. The recovery of a loaded firearm from a student’s backpack serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of gun violence in schools. The Queens District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to ensure that such incidents are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
FAQs
Q: What were the charges brought against the 16-year-old student?
A: The student was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, making a terroristic threat, and other related crimes.
Q: How was the student identified and arrested?
A: The student was identified through an Instagram post that threatened to "shoot the school up." Meta, the parent company of Instagram, notified the FBI, who then notified the NYPD. The student was arrested after officers searched his backpack and recovered a loaded firearm.
Q: What was the outcome of the arraignment?
A: The student was released under intensive community monitoring, and bail was set at $100,000 cash, $250,000 partially secured bond, $350,000 bond. He is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 26.
Q: What is the potential sentence if the student is convicted?
A: If convicted and granted youthful offender status, the student faces up to 1 ⅓ to four years in prison.
