A 16-year-old student at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens, New York, was arrested on Thursday after police discovered a loaded handgun in his backpack. Authorities say the teen had posted a disturbing message on Instagram threatening to “shoot the school up” while sitting in class. The post, made around 10:15 a.m., was quickly flagged by someone who saw it and reported it to the FBI.
That tip was then forwarded to the NYPD, who immediately responded to the Bayside campus. Within a short time, officers located the student, removed him, and searched his belongings. Inside his backpack, police found a 9mm handgun loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition.
At a news conference, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the sequence of events that led to the teen’s arrest, noting that the Instagram post included an image of schoolwork on a desk along with a caption that threatened violence.
Officers were able to confirm the account was his after calling a phone number linked to the page, one of three cell phones the student had with him at the time. Mayor Eric Adams described the incident as both a relief and a wake-up call. He stressed that the quick response from authorities prevented what could have been a devastating outcome.
At the same time, he pointed to the larger issue of how a teenager was able to get access to a firearm in the first place. According to Adams, the situation highlights a deep failure in society, one that nearly allowed a 16-year-old to carry out a violent attack on his classmates and teachers. He noted that if the plan had been executed, the teenager’s life would likely have ended behind bars for many years, or worse, in death.
Authorities emphasised that the student, who has no prior criminal history, will not be named publicly because of his age. His case has been referred to the Queens district attorney’s office for possible charges. In the aftermath, parents and staff are left shaken by the reality that such a threat emerged from inside the classroom.
Tisch, speaking not just as commissioner but also as a mother, admitted the situation was personal. “I will be honest, as a mother of two young, school age boys, I am shaken,” she said. “But, as your police commissioner, I am resolute in ensuring that the NYPD does everything in our power to keep our children safe.”