(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) A teen with a fake gun threatened a group of children outside Abingdon Elementary School in Fairlington yesterday afternoon.
Students told police a male suspect approached them, carrying a gun with an orange tip. Police radio traffic reported that while displaying the weapon, which was at first thought to be real, the suspect asked the children if they were ready to die.
The suspect and children all left the scene. However, when police arrived, some of the children returned to describe the suspect and incident.
A short time later, police found a 17-year-old boy in the area matching the students’ description. The teen was arrested and charged with brandishing a firearm on school property, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Although he did not have the weapon with him at the time of the arrest, it was later recovered and revealed to be a BB gun.
Nobody was hurt during the incident. The suspect, who police say is an Arlington Public Schools student, was released to his parents.