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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — After a 7-year-old student was discovered carrying a loaded gun while attending Up Academy Holland School on Olney Street for class on Thursday, Boston city officials are calling for a full investigation into how this could have transpired.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaking at Boston Police Headquarters as a mother of a 7-year-old herself, said the idea of a child bringing a firearm to school is appalling.
"A child does not just get a gun— none of our kids should be anywhere near weapons, much less directly put in danger like this. We need everyone to be part of this, it's a time when we need to get down to really wrapping around our young people and hold the adults who are responsible for this accountable," Wu said.
Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper also weighed in on the incident, saying action will be taken to answer the immediate questions raised.
“I’m speechless. I don’t have the words. This is truly devastating. We have to ask ourselves how a very young student becomes in possession of and gains access to a firearm. We’re working with all of our city and state partners every day, multiple times a day, to address safety concerns, strategize new tactics to keep students safe, and create synergy in our responses to emergencies. We’re grateful to BPD and first responders who were on the scene immediately. But we cannot do this work alone. When a young person gets access to a gun out of accessibility, we really have to ask ourselves, how does this happen?” Skipper said.
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Some faith leaders and community organizations are calling for a state of emergency over gun violence they say is out of control, especially in the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan neighborhoods. Representatives from Life Church and the New Democracy Coalition say a new public safety strategy is in order to prevent any similar incidents like this from playing out.
Within the past week alone, there have been four fatal shooting in the City of Boston.
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@madisonwbz) reports.
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