Police: DHS Student Seen in a Video with a Gun Taken into Custody

A 16-year-old Darien High School student is being held at the juvenile detention facility in Bridgeport after he was seen in a short video brandishing a handgun and issuing taunts, Darien police said.

“There is nothing to suggest that any criminal act was being planned,” Police Chief Duane Lovello said in a news release, but the boy was arrested — on what charges, police didn’t say.

Police gave this account of the matter, including accusations that have not been proven in court:

At mid-morning Friday, the school resource officer (a police officer) at Darien High School was made aware of the video “depicting what appeared to be a young white male, his face partially obscured by a bandana, brandishing what appeared to be a handgun as he issued verbal taunts,” police said. “These taunts were not specifically directed against any identifiable person, group, place or institution.”

The officer saw the video, which was not made at the high school, and identified the student in the video. The officer spoke with him in an office at the high school, where the student became combative, and was taken into custody.

A Stamford acquaintance of the student was also involved in the matter. Stamford police detectives were informed and worked with Darien police in the investigation. Police confirmed (although they didn’t say how) that the Darien student was in the video and the handgun was real. Consent was given for searches of both boys’ homes, but the gun wasn’t found.

“The 16-year-old Darien student has been remanded to the Bridgeport Juvenile Youth Detention Facility pending further proceedings,” according to the news release.

In the news release, Lovello said:

“This investigation is receiving the highest priority. I have been in close contact with Dr. Dan Brenner, Superintendent of Schools to ensure a timely exchange of information necessary to keep students, school staff, and parents aware of what information we do have.

“There is nothing to suggest that any criminal act was being planned.

“We will keep this line of communication open and, in conjunction with school administrators, do whatever is necessary to address any concerns school students, staff or parents may have. As always, the cooperation and assistance received from the Stamford Police Department was outstanding.”

Superintendent emails parents about the incident

Schools Superintendent Dan Brenner at 3:39 p.m. Fridaysent parents an email which said, in part:

“While no direct threats were made toward the school or any DHS student, the video caused enough concern to remove the student from his classes and to be questioned by both administration and our student resource officer and taken into police custody.”

Here’s the entire text of the email:

From: Darien Public Schools <dps@darienps.org>
Date: Fri, Mar 4, 2016 at 3:39 PM
Subject: Message from the Superintendent

Dear Families,

Earlier today it came to the high school administration’s attention that a DHS student created a ten second video off school grounds where he appeared to be brandishing a hand gun.  While no direct threats were made toward the school or any DHS student, the video caused enough concern to remove the student from his classes and to be questioned by both administration and our student resource officer and taken into police custody.

We want to emphasize that at no time was there a weapon on school grounds nor were any students in danger during the school day.

At this time we are confident that this matter is being handled appropriately by the police.  Please be assured that we take these matters very seriously and that every effort will always be taken to ensure the safety of all of the children in our schools.

Dan Brenner

Superintendent, Darien Public Schools