To Buffalo Public Schools activist Sam Radford enough is enough.
What has raised Radford's ire is that fact a 17-year-old Buffalo male was arrested on April 1 for attempting to bring a 9mm handgun into Buffalo Public School 197 on E. Delavan Avenue.
The arrest came almost one month after the same person was arrested by Buffalo Police on a series of felony firearms, weapons and controlled substance charges and was released on his own recognizance.
"All of this is a cause for concern," Radford said. "And, what does a 17-year-old need with a handgun anyways?"
Radford has questions why the suspect was released on his own recognizance and then shows up at School 197 with a handgun.
"There are a lot of red flags here," Radford said. "He was putting a lot of students at risk. Why?"
Schools are supposed to be safe havens, yet incidents like that shattered that community trust and expectation, Radford said.
Radford did credit the School 197 security team for finding the gun and detaining the suspect.
"They did their job," Radford said.
As for the suspect, he is due back at Erie County Court Youth Part on April 7 and is currently remanded to the Erie County Youth Services center.
The suspect was arraigned on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon on School Grounds and one count of Possession of a Firearm - both of which are Class E felonies, said Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane.
Community leaders are upset with another youth and weapons charge incident
