Teen arrested for bringing handgun into Jeremiah E. Burke High School

Boston police have arrested a student at the Jeremiah E. Burke high school on firearm charges, police said Thursday.

The 17-year-old suspect from Dorchester was arrested at about 8:30 a.m. after he brought a handgun into the Washington Street school. He went through a metal detector at the school at about 8 a.m., at which time a staff member found a 7.65 caliber Deutshche Werk handgun loaded with a single round of ammunition inside his backpack, officials said.

He was arrested without incident and is expected to be arraigned in Dorchester Juvenile Court. The student is charged with delinquent to wit: unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device.

Boston Public school officials sent out a robocall to the Burke community, commending staff and officers for ensuring the safety of the school. The student will face disciplinary action and intervention through the school’s Code of Conduct, the call said, along with legal consequences.

“The safety of students and staff is our top priority in the Boston Public Schools,” the call said. “I would like to thank staff and police for following all of the appropriate steps to ensure that no one in our school was placed in danger today. The Burke is a safe and welcoming environment for all students and staff; and violence of any kind is not tolerated.”

The high school was the site of a fatal shooting in June, when 17-year-old Raekwon Brown was gunned down outside. Two other victims, ages 16 and 17, were transported to area hospitals and treated for non-life threatening injuries. A woman in her 60s was treated at the scene for a non-life threatening injury.

Three men were arrested for alleged involvement in the incident. Jaden Waiters, 20, of Dorchester; Jonathan Aguasvivas, 24, of Roxbury; and Benzy Bain, 25, of Mattapan, were each indicted in September for one count of first-degree murder, two counts of assault and battery with a firearm, and four counts of armed assault with intent to murder, as well as possession of a firearm and ammunition. They are due back in Suffolk Superior Court on March 21, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

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