New York police and federal agents say a possible tragedy was narrowly avoided on Thursday when a teenager carrying a loaded gun was arrested inside a Queens high school. The 16-year-old student at Benjamin Cardozo High School had allegedly posted online threats about carrying out a shooting, sparking an urgent law enforcement response that brought FBI and NYPD teams to the campus within hours.The FBI’s National Threat Operations Center had received the initial warning, reportedly flagged after the teenager shared a disturbing image on social media with a caption suggesting plans to attack the school. Investigators quickly traced the account and alerted the NYPD, leading to the student’s swift arrest.NYPD personnel, working alongside FBI agents, located the teenager on campus and took them into custody without incident. Officers recovered a loaded semiautomatic handgun as well as multiple mobile phones, one of which was locked inside a school-issued pouch. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the 10th grader had no prior criminal history but was carrying the weapon when stopped. “I’ll be honest. As a mother of two young school-aged boys, I am shaken,” Tisch said. “But as your police commissioner, I am resolute in ensuring that the NYPD does everything in our power to keep our children safe.”FBI Director Kash Patel described the operation as an example of rapid coordination between agencies. “Earlier today, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip regarding a potential school shooting at Benjamin Cardozo High School in New York City. Based on a quick response by the NYPD and FBI personnel, a student was arrested with a loaded firearm. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect our children. Huge thanks to the NYPD and @NewYorkFBI for teaming up yet again to protect our country,” Patel posted on X.Mayor Eric Adams also praised the response, saying, “Today, we breathe a sigh of relief because our public safety system worked and countless lives were saved. The NYPD has arrested a 16-year-old student at Cardozo High School who brought a gun to school and posted online threats to commit a shooting there.”Adams added that while the quick action of police and the FBI stopped a potential tragedy, the incident exposed a larger problem. “We could’ve had a very different press conference today,” he warned. “Our young people are going down dangerous paths, and all of us must step in to guide them.”
