Feb 23, 2018 2 min read

North Strabane Township police have charged an 11-year-old boy who allegedly brought a toy Airsoft gun to school last week.

The boy, who is in the sixth grade at North Strabane Intermediate School, is charged in a juvenile allegation with bringing a weapon to school, simple assault, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. He allegedly brought the gun to school Feb. 14.

The boy has not been back to school since the incident and is suspended, said Michael Daniels, Canon-McMillan School District superintendent. He will remain suspended until the case makes its way through the court system, the superintendent added.

Two students at the school told a teacher that a fellow student had brought a gun to school about 2:55 p.m. Daniels said school is dismissed at 3:10 p.m., so the district quickly alerted parents of the incident.

“We wanted to make sure the parents heard it from us first,” Daniels said.

The incident led to Snapchat posts over the weekend by Canonsburg Middle School students that “led to the idea that it would be unsafe to attend the middle school on Monday,” Daniels said

Dr. Mark Abbondanza, principal at the North Strabane school, and Dr. Greg Taranto, principal at the Canonsburg school, took the opportunity to talk with students about what had happened.

Daniels said Abbondanza had a discussion with students, answering questions, on Thursday. An assembly that had been planned for Wednesday at the middle school was changed to Monday, with Taranto and Canonsburg police Officer Carl Fetcko talking to the students.

“It was very timely,” Daniels said. “Students were asked questions like what was the meaning of impulsive behavior. They were told to think about what they were typing before hitting send.

“They were encouraged if they see something that is not safe, to say something,” the superintendent added.