Voorheesville boy, 11, accused of threatening to shoot classmate

VOORHEESVILLE – An 11-year child from Voorheesville has been charged with making a terroristic threat against a classmate. It’s a felony.

Sheriff Apple tells NewsChannel 13 he doesn’t recall making any felony gun-related arrests involving anyone younger than age 11.

There were no guns present, but there was a mention of guns. Even though no one knew for sure if the child making the threat had any firearms at his home – which he did – at least one classmate took the threat seriously, and Sheriff Apple says he took it seriously as well.

Apple says one child was looking for answers in a science lab and the other child didn’t want to give them. The child who was looking said, "That’s great, then I’m going to kill you."

A short time later, a child approached the child who made the threat and told him he can’t say that. That child then said, "My dad has 28 guns at home, and I have access to them. You just wait and see what happens."

That’s when the kid was reported.

Sheriff Apple says the kid who reported it did exactly what they’re supposed to do.

"The last thing we want to be doing is locking up young kids," said Apple. "We have a zero tolerance policy for this, and if you make stupid statements, you can expect to be arrested."

Sheriff Apple says the boy’s father was extremely upset, but he was cooperative. He says the father is a law-abiding gun owner.

The boy will appear in family court at a later date and time.