New York [US], September 19 : A swift joint operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York Police Department (NYPD) thwarted a potential school shooting at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens in New York, on Thursday (local time), leading to the arrest of a 16-year-old student who was found with a loaded firearm.
The threat was reported after the FBI's National Threat Operations Center received an anonymous tip, prompting an immediate deployment to the school.
NYPD officers, working alongside FBI agents, located and apprehended the student without incident, discovering a loaded firearm in their possession.
The FBI's New York field office confirmed the threat in a statement on X, saying, "Earlier today, the FBI informed @NYPDnews of a threat to life involving the Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens. The NYPD deployed to the high school to address this potential threat, which led to a successful outcome. This swift response demonstrates the importance of close partnerships and the critical need for information-sharing to ensure our city and students are protected against unnecessary acts of violence."
FBI Director Kash Patel elaborated on the operation, stating, "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," in a post on X.
The incident underscores the critical role of inter-agency collaboration in ensuring student safety.
New York Mayor Eric Adams expressed relief over the incident, noting that the city had breathed a sigh of relief.
"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," he said in a post on X.