Fall River police arrest 17-year-old accused of carrying loaded firearm near school
(WJAR) — Fall River police announced that a 17-year-old was arrested on Wednesday after he was found with a loaded firearm near school grounds.
According to police, they were conducting patrols around Resiliency Preparatory Academy due to a report that outside agitators had recently been observed on school grounds.
At around 10:55 a.m., school resource officers found a group of juveniles across the street from the school. According to officials, the resource officers knew at least one of them was not enrolled in Resiliency Preparatory Academy.
Police said a pat frisk was conducted after speaking with the group of juveniles, and a 17-year-old was found with a loaded firearm.
According to Fall River police, the 17-year-old attempted to fight the police and avoid being arrested, and he was taken into custody after a short struggle.
Two officers sustained minor injuries due to the incident, according to officials.
The 17-year-old faces charges of carrying a loaded firearm in public without a license to carry, possession of a firearm without a license to carry, possession of ammunition without an FID and resisting arrest.
“There needs to be something done about it, especially when we’re dealing with children like kids killing kids, it’s insane,” said Kaisey Richards, a paraprofessional at the Resiliency Preparatory Academy.
Fall River Public Schools Superintendent said the school about the developing incident Wednesday morning.
“Once alerted to the developing events, Principal Kyle Riley immediately followed district safety protocols by initiating a school-wide lockdown. Once the Fall River Police Department notified the administration that there was no danger to the school, the lockdown was lifted, classes resumed as normal and Principal Riley sent a message to families via our ParentSquare communication portal,”Fall River Public Schools SuperintendentDr. Tracy Curley said in a statement.
In March, a student was shot to death near the school.
Editor’s note: An edit was made to the headline and the body of the story to reflect Fall River Police Department’s correction that the arrest was made across the street from the school, not on school grounds.
NBC 10’s Leanna Faulk contributed to this report.