THE handgun which was taken to Mae’s Private School some two weeks ago by a seven-year-old girl was in fact a mere toy, according to a source close to the investigation.According to the source, teachers at the school were told that a student was carrying a gun, and the matter was immediately investigated. The initial report was that the student had a gun and was chasing her classmates around.
However, the Guyana Chronicle was told that when the teacher investigated and found that the gun was a toy, the student was allowed to continue playing with it, even as other students still believed it was a real weapon.
Meanwhile, when the police heard that there was a gun incident at the school and turned up to investigate, they were turned away as the school denied any such incident. The teachers later explained that the investigators were turned away because it was thought that since the issue involved just a toy gun, there was no need for the police.
In the meantime, a relative of the seven-year-old girl told the teachers that the toy gun only had pellets and not bullets.
The gun was taken to the school two Wednesdays ago and parents were alerted about the matter by other students who identified the student during a school tour two days after the incident.
Last week a concerned parent told this newspaper that when the gun was taken away from the student, the child’s parents were informed about the incident. This newspaper understands that subsequently the child’s father visited the school after being invited by the management to sort out the issue and raise concerns.
At that meeting this publication was informed that the man behaved in an arrogant manner and was not receptive to the concerns of teachers. And speaking with at least two parents of students who attend the school, this newspaper was told that they were calling for the girl’s expulsion.
Last week Friday, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told media operatives that the incident with the gun at the school was unconfirmed, but when he heard of the matter he sent the divisional crime officer over to the school.
The deputy police commissioner pointed out that when his officers visited the school there was an outright denial of the incident. Sources within the Criminal Investigation Department said the police returned to the school and were told that the incident never occurred.

(By Leroy Smith)