Local News
Police swept Mark G. Hoyle Elementary School with a K-9 unit specially trained to detect guns and ammunition.
Police in Swansea investigated reports that a child brought a handgun to an elementary school this week, leading to the seizure of five firearms from a home.
Officers received a report Monday night that, on a previous day, a second grade student at Mark G. Hoyle Elementary School may have brought a gun to school and showed it to at least two other students. Swansea police and school officials took “additional safety precautions” at the school Tuesday morning while officers investigated the report, according to a release from the department.
The investigation led police to develop probable cause to search a Swansea residence. They applied for a search warrant, which was quickly granted to investigators. Police executed the warrant Tuesday afternoon.
Officers found five guns and ammunition inside the home. The guns were being stored in an unsecure fashion and were not registered, officials said. No one living in the home possessed a valid Firearms Identification Card.
Swansea police seized the guns and plan to file weapons-related charges against two residents in Fall River District Court on Wednesday, officials said. The suspects were not publicly named.
Out of an “abundance of caution,” police swept the school on Tuesday evening using a K-9 unit specially trained to detect guns and ammunition. No weapons or ammunition were found in the school.
An investigation is ongoing, and police are continuing to work with school officials. They do not believe there is any active threat to the school community, but members of the public should expect to see an increased police presence at the school Wednesday.
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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