13-year-old Newton boy charged with shooting fellow students with BB gun

The report said students were waiting by the Gath Pool near Albemarle Field at around 4:15 p.m. on Friday, shortly following the dismissal of after-school activities held at the field, such as football and soccer.

The BB gun was covered with the alleged suspect’s shirt but several students said they observed a black barrel with an orange tip sticking out from the suspect’s shirt.

“All of a sudden [one student] heard a click, click, click sound,” said the police report. “[The suspect] pointed the thing at him and he heard a click sound, and the right arm on his shirt ripped, and he felt pain. … there was a small welt on the student’s deltoid muscle.”

Police said they interviewed four male students who said they were hit and each had visible welts. One was shot on his arm, another shot on his calf, another on the back of his neck, and another on his abdomen.

Officials said they offered to call ambulances for each student who was hit, but each declined.

The suspect had left the scene, but witnesses identified him and officers went to the suspect’s home.

There, police spoke with his mother to explain their visit, went upstairs and retrieved the alleged weapon, a KWC BB Gun which was a replica of a Smith and Wesson Model 4506, and a small nylon bag which contained several hundred plastic BB’s.

Police filed a complaint in Waltham District Court (Juvenile Session) against the alleged suspect with four counts on assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.

The school’s principal, Gina Healy, e-mailed parents Monday late-afternoon to inform them of what she called a “disturbing incident.”

In a phone interview today, Deputy superintendent Paul Stein said school officials were not immediately aware of the incident because it occurred after school on Friday. He said when Healy first heard what had happened through a non-official source over the weekend, she was unable to immediately confirm the information and did not have the additional details she wanted before informing parents of the incident until Monday morning.

“We’re mostly concerned that a student would somehow think that that is OK to do. It’s completely unacceptable,” said Stein, adding that he did not know whether the alleged suspect had provided a reason for the shooting.

“There’s never a good reason,” said Stein. “This is a situation we take very seriously.”

He said the student has not attended classes since the incident, and school officials are still in the process of determining what consequences the student will face.

Healy said the consequences the student will face will not be disclosed because it would violate student privacy rights. However, she said they will be “serious.”

When asked if the incident has prompted school officials to pursue added security measures – such as installing metal detectors or requiring students to use see-through backpacks and pocket books – Stein said, “Theoretically, we could. Whether this incident measures that kind of security is a good question. Obviously, schools are not set up like airports.”

Healy said she worked at Newton South High School several years ago and recalled the school temporarily adding metal detectors after bomb threats were made. She said it took two hours to get students into the building and though they may have provided people with more reassurance initially, the metal detectors were not a practical solution to security concerns.

“It’s not something that I would advocate,” she said.

Healy said she has been responding to numerous e-mails and phone calls from parents to “let them know we’re taking this very seriously.”

An announcement was made to students explaining the facts of what happened to make students aware and avoid rumors from spreading, she said. The school’s staff is additionally trying to respond students’ concerns.

“This is upsetting to kids, but they seem to be coping,” said Healy.

She added that the four students who were hit by the BBs are coping as well and have not missed any time from school.

“Of course, there will be serious school and legal consequences,” said Healy in the e-mail to parents explaining what happened. “The safety and well-being of all students at Day is of paramount importance, and we want children to feel secure in their school environment. We are doing all we can to foster a healthy and safe environment and to respond appropriately when our sense of security is threatened. If your child would like to speak to someone at school about this incident, s/he should contact her/his guidance counselor or other trusted adult.”