Preteen allegedly threatens fellow students with air gun

A shelter-in-place protocol took place across three learning facilities yesterday as an Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School student allegedly brandished a handgun inside a restroom at the Chalan Piao school yesterday morning.

According to Department of Public Safety assistant chief of police and acting public information officer Simon T. Manacop, the incident, reported at 9:41am, prompted immediate shelter-in-place protocols across the HMS campus, as officers rushed to the area.

He shared that several students reported a male student had threatened and pointed a gun at fellow students in the school’s restroom. The report triggered heightened concern, leading school authorities to secure students and faculty in their classrooms to ensure safety until further notice, and parents were encouraged not to go to the campus. Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Camacho was also immediately notified, and PSS Central Incident Command System Team joined DPS on-site to actively manage the situation.

The William S. Reyes Elementary School and the Chalan Kanoa Head Start/Early Head Start Center also initiated shelter-in-place protocol as a precautionary measure.

Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Bureau quickly traced the student to a building in Chalan Piao, near the school. Following a search of the student’s residence in Chalan Kanoa, detectives found an air-powered toy pistol, identified as the object used in the incident. By 12:15pm, officials deemed the campus safe, lifting the shelter-in-place order and allowing normal activities to resume.

Manacop shared with the media that the student involved was released to the custody of his parents as investigation continues. While no formal arrest has been made, DPS indicates that an investigation remains ongoing to assess any further actions. The incident is currently known as a disturbing the peace incident.

Saipan Tribune reached out to PSS and Camacho reassured the public that students and all public education stakeholders safety remains paramount.

“Our strengthened partnership with relevant departments, particularly the Department of Public Safety, is part of our overall plan that ensures that our schools remain safe for all of our public education stakeholders, including students, teachers and staff, parents and the community,” he shared. “We conduct drills on a regular basis to stay current and as part of a plan to ensure maximum protection and safety for everyone in all of our public elementary, middle, and high schools.”

Camacho also released a letter to PSS student families, urging parents and guardians to take proactive steps to ensure student safety following recent reports of contraband on school grounds. Camacho emphasized, “We are reaching out from a place of shared concern and care for the well-being of our children.”

Camacho’s message also encourages families to address weapon safety at home by focusing on five key areas— educating children, ensuring secure storage, accessing community resources, maintaining open dialogue, and supporting safety initiatives. He urged parents to have open conversations to help children understand the risks, noting, “Helping children understand the risks associated with weapons can prevent curiosity from turning into danger.”

For families who keep weapons at home, Camacho stressed that “secure storage is essential,” reminding parents that locking and storing weapons out of reach “is a responsible choice that minimizes the risk of accidents.” He also recommended families reach out to school counselors to access local resources and safety programs.

Camacho urged parents to be vigilant in every environment their children enter, advising them to ask about weapon safety in other households, as “most people understand the importance of ensuring all children’s safety.” His closing message to parents emphasized shared responsibility: “Together, we can foster a culture of safety and responsibility that protects our children.”