Gananda Schools, NYSP file "red flag" petition to remove guns from teen student arrested

GANANDA, N.Y. (WHEC) — A 17 year old Gananda high school school student is charged with making a terroristic threat.

Thursday the New York State Police and the Gananda school district filed temporary red flag petitions against the student which, if the Wayne County Court agrees, will confiscate all the guns the teenager has access to.

The technical term is "extreme risk protective order." Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul made it mandatory for state police to file if they believe there is a serious risk.

"We have asked that the student not be allowed on campus and that all weapons be removed from his access in his home and other homes he has access to," said Dr. Shawn Van Scoy, Superintendent of Gananda Schools.

Wednesday morning, Van Scoy saw a social media post that prompted the school to call police.

Brean: "Can you share with our viewers what those moments felt like?"
Van Scoy: "Probably the most stressful moment is when we saw the photo in the morning."

The state police say the social media photo showed the student "with what appeared to be an assault weapon."

Within 10 minutes, police were stationed at the high school to arrest the student if he arrived. State police says he was arrested off campus.

Also Wednesday, Kendall schools in Orleans County, called police after they were alerted to a concerning social media post. The school said police found "no credible threat."

No one raised alarm over social media posts before the Buffalo and Texas shootings. The tip in Gananda was prompted by a teacher’s lesson Wednesday morning.

"So our social studies teacher had that exact conversation yesterday morning," Dr. Van Scoy said. "And because our staff member talked about that exact issue that students or people in the prior instances hadn’t come forward and made people aware about it, he talked about the need for that. And that lead to this result."

The 17 year old student is scheduled to be in Wayne County court Friday.