Plastic gun, real bullets confiscated at Elementary school
Updated: Oct 21, 2022
By: Tosimaeʻa Tupua
Email: tupua@opi.as.gov
A suspected gun police were investigating at an elementary school near Tafuna may be a fake one according to The Department of Public Safety.
Reports received from a concerned teacher of the school say police arrived at the school yesterday shortly after a student reported the weapon to the teacher and the principal. The police arrived and confiscated the weapon.
KVZK News contacted the Department of Education about the incident and a senior staff member who wished not to be named confirmed the matter is now with the police. The staff also confirmed the weapon that was confiscated at the school was plastic. KVZK News asked about the 3 bullets that were also confiscated together with the weapon, the staff member said reports they have received already from police confirmed they were real bullets.
Efforts to get a comment from the Acting Commissioner of Police Foifua Foifua Jnr has been unsuccessful however, a Police officer told KVZK News that a black plastic gun was found in the fifth-grader's backpack. The student never threatened anyone with it.
KVZK News asked about the bullets but the Officer deferred comment on the incident to Acting Commissioner Foifua. The Police Officer confirmed that the Department of Public Safety acted “swiftly” to ensure the safety of students. He said they have already met with school officials and examined the plastic gun, which he said could be mistaken for a real gun from a distance.
The Department of Education didn't release much information to KVZK News despite a request seeking answers to our questions, including inquiries into whether the school took disciplinary action against the student. KVZK also contacted the school principal but was unsuccessful. Investigations are continuing.