Boy, 5, found with gun magazine and ammunition in backpack at primary school

08 February 2023 , 18:01

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The gun magazine and ammunition were found in the child's backpack at school

A five-year-old boy was found with ammunition and a gun magazine in his backpack at primary school.

The child, who attends Porter Elementary School in New York, US, carried the items to school on Monday where horrified staff found the items.

The boy did not have a gun in his backpack, according to officials, as the child claims he was unaware of the items in his possession.

Syracuse Police Department said: “There was a 5-year-old student found in possession of a magazine and ammunition that was located in their backpack," the statement said.

"At this time, it appears that the student had no knowledge of the presence of such materials.

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"The investigation is very active and ongoing. There was no gun, just a magazine, and ammunition.”

Authorities did not elaborate how the items ended up in the child's backpack or who was responsible for placing them inside.

Matthew Malinowski, from the Syracuse Police Department, said authorities are investigating the incident

The items included a gun magazine, which is the ammunition storage and feeder device for a repeating weapon.

Some firearms have magazines which can be removed and carried separately.

The incident comes just a month after a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia.

Abby Zwerner, 25, was shot at a reading table in her classroom after a boy came to school with a 9mm handgun which he took from his mum.

The school system's superintendent George Parker revealed the school did not seize the weapon he brought into the classroom.

He said: "At least one administrator was notified of a possible weapon in the timeline that we're reviewing and was aware that that student had.

"There was a potential that there was a weapon on campus."

The boy's backpack was searched but no gun was found as officials let the child continue his class and did not inform police or lockdown the school.

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Diane Toscano, lawyer for Abby, has since launched a lawsuit against the school over the “entirely preventable” shooting.

Ms Zwerner’s lawyer Diane believes school officials were warned of the boy carrying a gun but nothing was done after they were allegedly warned three times on the day of the shooting.

The claim states: "Assistant Principal Parker should have called police, instead she did not follow proper protocol and chose to do absolutely nothing."

Principal Briana Foster Newton and Assistant Principal Ebony Parker have both since resigned following the shooting.

Liam Buckler