Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
There was a scare in the Pennsbury School District Wednesday after a student came to one of its buildings with a pellet gun, according to a letter sent to parents.
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Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith said a student at Manor Elementary School on Penn Valley Road in Falls Township’s Levittown section brought a pellet gun. Once the student arrived at the school, they were taken to the office and questioned.
Falls Township police were contacted and they are investigating, the superintendent said.
“We have no evidence that it was used to scare or threaten other students. We commend our students for reporting this to the district staff,” Smith wrote.
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Pellet guns are not considered firearms under federal law and anyone of any age can own one. They often are designed to look like firearms.
Dear Pennsbury School District Families,
I am writing to inform you that this morning, a student at the Manor Elementary School came to school with a look-alike airsoft/pellet gun. Upon their arrival, the student was immediately escorted to the office, questioned and local law enforcement was contacted and the weapon was given to the police. The police are diligently investigating the matter. We have no evidence that it was used to scare or threaten other students. We commend our students for reporting this to the district staff.
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I am sharing this information because, given the recent events in our county, this look-alike gun could have easily been mistaken for a real gun and resulted in an unfortunate series of events.
I ask that you discuss this incident with your child(ren) and emphasize that bringing any type of weapon on school grounds, even a look-alike airsoft/pellet gun, is a violation of the law. Any student involved is subject to criminal charges and school-imposed disciplinary measures as per school board policy and appropriate laws that govern weapons on school grounds. As I have shared in previous events, our district is committed to the safety and education of all our students. We also want to clearly communicate timely and accurate information to families about safety issues when they arise. Also, please emphasize the importance of telling a trusted adult if they suspect that there is a weapon at school. This will help ensure that we are all working together to keep our schools safe.
Sincerely,
Thomas A. Smith, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
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