FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A 12-year-old student appeared in court Wednesday morning after he allegedly pointed a BB gun at a Dillard High School staff member.
According to police, the 6th grader pulled the gun out of his backpack, pointed it at a school counselor and pulled the trigger twice.
The incident took place on Feb. 22, and the school, located near Northwest 25th Terrace and 11th Street, was placed on a temporary lockdown.
“We had to make sure that the door was locked and the windows were covered and make sure that everyone makes it into the closet safe,” Dillard High School student Alexia Frontson said after the lockdown was lifted.
According to the arrest report, after the student pulled the trigger of the BB gun, it jammed and never fired. He then threw it on the ground and took off running.
7News has since learned that the student thought the BB gun was a real gun.
However, the student’s father, Jeno Thomas, said the student knew the BB gun was not a real gun.
“They’re trying to make it seem like he intentionally came to school to harm someone, which is he didn’t. I doubt that, because my son knows a real gun from a fake gun,” Thomas said.
Fort Lauderdale Police units responded, and officers detained the boy shortly after.
Dillard High School teaches students in grades six through 12.
A Broward County Public Schools spokesperson told 7News that the student will not return to the school but will have access to an education that will be determined by the BCPS Board and the student code of conduct.
Thomas said the incident stemmed from the student being bullied.
“He only did that because he said he was being bullied by high school kids out here, and he was tired of people playing and playing with him like that,” Thomas said.
After appearing in court, the 12-year-old was ordered to be held in secure detention for 21 days and will undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
He has a record of being admitted via Baker Act on at least four separate occasions, court documents showed.
The boy has made threats to kill himself, kill school board employees and burn down the school while with him inside, court documents said.
7News spoke to the student’s grandfather, and he said that the family is trying to get the student the help he needs.
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