Teen pulled out gun on school bus: Ramapo cops

A Ramapo High School student allegedly pulled a loaded handgun on a fellow student after they had an argument while sitting together on a school bus, Ramapo police said Tuesday.

The 16-year-old student was arrested Friday evening while he was riding in a car with Timothy Brown, 23, of Spring Valley, police said.

Police recovered the 9 mm Hi-Point handgun and the teen told officers the weapon was his, Ramapo police Detective Lt. Mark Emma said. Police are not releasing his name because of his age.

Emma said in cases of gun seizures from a car, all those in the vehicle are charged.

"Brown knew the 16-year-old had the gun," Emma said.

Police charged the teenager with felony counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree reckless endangerment, as well as a misdemeanor second-degree menacing.

Police charged Brown with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Emma said the teenager is being held in the county jail in lieu of $20,000 bail, while Brown is being held without bail.

The Friday incident started at about 2 p.m. on a school bus taking students home from Ramapo High School.

Emma said the 16-year-old and a younger student were talking, when the older boy apparently got irritated by the tone of the conversation. Emma said detectives suspect the young student didn't believe the older boy had a gun.

"The 16-year-old then took out the gun, displayed it and threatened the younger student," Emma said. "They were sitting next to one another in a pretty confined area on the bus."

Ramapo police were notified after the teenager reported the incident to his parents.

Ramapo police detectives found the teenager and Brown Friday night in Nanuet near the Route 59 shopping center with McDonald's and the former Pathmark supermarket, Emma said.

Emma said the investigation was continuing into whether the teenager threatened other students.

The teenager wouldn't tell police how he acquired the gun, which is not considered a high-quality weapon, Emma said. The origins of the gun are being tracked by the Sheriff's Department's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which also is checking it  for fingerprints.

In a statement, East Ramapo Central School District Superintendent Dr. Deborah Wortham said: "The safety of our students has always been our top priority. Violence of any kind has no place in our district and we work hard to provide our students a safe and welcoming environment as well as the resources they need to develop as students and people."

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Ramapo Police Department at 845-357-2400.

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