HAYWARD — A 10-year-old girl allegedly threatened a fellow student that she would bring a pistol to their local charter school and “use it” during a fight, resulting in a police raid on her home and the seizure of two firearms, authorities said.
The late May incident led to dual police investigations, one probing the girl’s level of seriousness in carrying out the threat, and the other examining how she was able to access the firearm she allegedly displayed during a Facetime conversation with the victim. Police conducted the raid on the same day they learned of the threat, and seized not just two firearms but two fully loaded magazines and dozens of rounds of ammunition, authorities said.
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The police investigation started on May 29, when an administrator at Key Academy in Hayward informed police that a 10-year-old girl had threatened to another fight student based on them both having a crush on the same person. The threat was made in an online chat in several students’ presence, and followed up by a second video chat on the afternoon of May 28, when the girl displayed a firearm and said she would bring it to school and “use it” if needed, according to police.
School officials learned of the threat the following morning and immediately notified police, authorities said.
Officers interviewed the girl’s mother, and learned that there were guns stored at the home where the girl could have readily accessed them, according to police. One of the girl’s parents reportedly worked a security job and was licensed to carry a firearm. Police say the mother agreed to immediately get a gun safe, but hours later, learned that the girl was still home alone, with the firearm present, and that the gun safe hadn’t been purchased.
That led to the police raid and seizure of guns. Thus far, no criminal charges have been filed against the mother. Because of the girl’s young age, state privacy laws make it impossible to check whether she was arrested or charged.
Emails to the Key Academy were apparently blocked by the school’s server and voice mails to the school’s main office were not immediately returned. Summer break started on Monday, according to the school’s online academic schedule.
