A 15-year-old student was arrested after a loaded gun was discovered in his backpack at West Hempstead High School on Monday, Nov. 9, according to Nassau County police. School officials found the weapon after receiving information that prompted them to search the teenager’s locker.
Police said officers responded to the school at 400 Nassau Boulevard at approximately 1:50 p.m. after the firearm was recovered. The gun was found inside the student’s backpack, which was in his locker.
According to Fifth Squad detectives, the teenager had been involved in an altercation with a student from Hempstead High School the previous week. Police did not disclose the nature of the dispute or whether it was connected to the teenager having the weapon.
School personnel detained the 15-year-old before police arrived. Officers took him into custody without incident.
The teenager, whose name was not released, was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, Nov. 10, in the Youth Section of First District Court in Hempstead.
Police did not provide additional details about how the teenager obtained the firearm. No subsequent court outcome was available in the information provided.
Photo: West Hempstead High School, where a 15-year-old student was arrested after a loaded gun was discovered in his backpack on Nov. 9, 2026. (Google Street View)
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