Boy, 7, Finds Loaded Gun in Backpack

Sources tell NBC10 that gun found inside Daroff Charter School was taken during a 2008 burglary

A 7-year-old was "startled" to find a loaded gun inside his book bag this afternoon at a school in West Philadelphia, according to the school's principal.

The first grader told an after-school teacher right away, and the school called police. 

The boy was at an after school program at the Samuel Daroff Charter School when this happened, a little before 4 p.m.

“The teacher looked in his book bag and there was a .38-caliber snubnose revolver inside his book bag under his jacket,” said Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker. Police say the gun was loaded with five bullets.

Police sources tell NBC10's Nefertiti Jaquez that it is stolen gun that was stolen during a 2008 burglary.

No one was hurt and no lockdown was put in place since the gun was found after school hours. Universal Daroff is located at 57th and Vine Streets.

The school's principal, Anna Smith, said in her statement that her staff took the bag and followed the school's emergency procedure, notifying police.

The student was taken to Southwest Detectives where he was being questioned, along with his mother and a male family member. It's unknown if part of that questioning includes inquiries about the gun reportedly being stolen.

The charter school is run by Universal Companies. A spokesman there said they also plan to question the little boy's parents to see if they know how the gun wound up in the boy's bag.

Contact Us