THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, March 21, 1995                TAG: 9503210277
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   39 lines

EIGHTH-GRADER SUSPENDED FOR TAKING GUN TO SCHOOL

An eighth-grade student was suspended indefinitely last week after a lengthy police investigation revealed that he had taken a gun to school, authorities said Monday.

Detectives on March 1 began investigating student claims that a classmate at Great Neck Middle School displayed a gun on a school bus a day earlier.

Interviews with the 15-year-old suspect, however, didn't lead police to the weapon. The gun was believed taken from a classmate's relative.

Without the gun, the investigation stalled, police spokesman Mike Carey said.

But last week, the student's father found the gun and returned it to its owner. The owner contacted police.

After another round of interviews, police charged the student with taking a gun onto school property. He was not identified because of his age.

Carey said the student carried the .22-caliber revolver - a model no longer made, which police described as a collector's item - in his waistband while at school.

Later, the student put the gun in a book bag, Carey said.

Another student had taken the gun from his great-grandfather and gave it to the 15-year-old.

The suspended student had ammunition for the gun, but police don't know whether the revolver was loaded when he carried it to class.

Carey said the student apparently was showing off the gun and didn't threaten other students.

It is a felony to take a firearm onto school property.

KEYWORDS: HANDGUNS GREAT NECK MIDDLE SCHOOL by CNB