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East Boston High School students face increased searches after one student arrested for gun found nearby

Boston Police report the arrest of a student on charges he ditched a gun a couple blocks away from East Boston High School this morning.

Police report that Keon Harris, 20, will be charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after Boston School Police and BPD officers found a .22 caliber RG-14 revolver outside 169 Brooks St. around 9:20 a.m.

In an assembly today, school Headmaster Philip Brangiforte told students that he's ordered increased searches and use of metal detectors because of the incident, even though "we honestly believe this is the safest school in the city of Boston."

He told students the incident "did not happen inside East Boston High School."

He also urged students not to talk to any media about the incident, because their parents would not know they were doing so - although he added that he ultimately could not tell the students what to do.

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Comments

Reactionary security theater!

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Chasing 20 year old students armed with firearms when you aren't armed is pretty courageous. I agree with everyone who believes teachers should not be armed but I can't understand why the Boston school police aren't allowed to carry firearms. In the suburbs the school resource officers are armed why not the Boston School Police.

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Are there a lot of 20-year-old students in Boston high schools? Will young Keon be allowed back into school after he pays his debt to society? Two years mandatory sentence, isn't it? Stop that snickering in the back of the room!

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Yes, EL students tend to be older. Many students who arrive have poor timing (many Brazilians come in the winter for example, and plenty East Asian students are arriving now), so they typically have to repeat the grade they start in that spring. Otherwise, many students make the journey here when they are 15-16, as they’re finally “old enough to take care of themselves” or the family. Many don’t bring transcripts so in our school we start them in 9th grade.

Half of my 9th graders are 16 or turning 17, while the other half are 19-20. They will age out at 22 and won’t be able to graduate.

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Here's a hypothetical for you: "Unlawful possession".

If someone's fingerprints are on a gun, would you consider that gun to be in that person's "possession"?

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He told students the incident "did not happen inside East Boston High School."

The "student" was inside the building and was followed outside the building where the firearm was recovered. The Headmaster needs to be honest about the events that took place and take responsibility for the safety of his students.

Great job by the Boston School Police Officers who may have prevented a shooting inside the school.

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