Student Brandished Handgun On Bus; Prompts Lockdown At Waterbury School: Police

WATERBURY, CT — A Wilby High School student is in custody after another student reported seeing him with a firearm on a school bus this morning, according to police.

Lt. Ryan Bessette said a student at the Bucks Hill Road school reported to staff around 7:38 a.m. that another student on the school bus had “brandished a firearm.”

The report prompted a lockdown and shelter-in-place order at the school, police said. No one was injured.

The Waterbury Police Department’s School Resource Officer assigned to the high school initiated an investigation.

Police identified the student as a 15-year-old male and recovered an unloaded handgun from his possession, police said.

The student is in custody. Police on Wednesday afternoon said the 15-year-old has been charged with first-degree threatening, possession of a weapon on school grounds, carrying a pistol without a permit, criminal use of a firearm, second-degree breach of peace, and risk of injury to a minor.

“This was an isolated incident,” Bessette said, in a press release. “There is no ongoing threat to the school, students, staff, or the surrounding community.”

The lockdown and shelter-in-place is over, and normal school activities have resumed, police said.

Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo commended the student who reported the incident on the bus.

“The quick response by school staff and our officers ensured the situation was brought under control without incident," Spagnolo said.