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Cardozo High School teen charged after posting shooting threat on Instagram

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Published  September 19, 2025 5:28pm EDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 5 NY
Heightened security at Queens high school post social media threat

Heightened security at Queens high school post social media threat

Students at Benjamin Cardozo High School had to go through heightened security to get to class today, after a 16-year-old boy allegedly posted on social media that he intended to "shoot the school up" yesterday. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has more.

The Brief

    • A 16-year-old Benjamin Cardozo High School student has been charged with multiple counts, including criminal possession of a weapon and making a terroristic threat, after allegedly posting on Instagram that he would "shoot the school up."
    • Prosecutors say the student was found with a loaded 9mm Taurus GX4 pistol in his backpack, along with two magazines containing a total of 13 rounds of ammunition.
    • The FBI and NYPD tracked the threat through the student’s social media account, quickly located him at the school, and recovered the weapon before anyone was harmed.

QUEENS - A 16-year-old student at Benjamin Cardozo High School has been charged with multiple weapons offenses and making a terroristic threat after allegedly posting on social media that he would "shoot up the school," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.

The teen, from Springfield Gardens, was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on charges including two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, making a terroristic threat, criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, criminal possession of a firearm, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. 

"Gun violence has stolen too many young lives in our communities, and we are extremely grateful that this incident did not result in anyone being hurt or worse," DA Katz said. 

Justice Cheng ordered him to return to court on Sept. 26. 

If convicted and granted youthful offender status, the teen faces up to 1 1/3 to four years in prison.

What happened at Benjamin Cardozo High School?

Teen arrested at Queens high school after allegedly posting threat on Instagram

Teen arrested at Queens high school after allegedly posting threat on Instagram

A 16-year-old was arrested at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens after posting a threat on Instagram. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has the latest.

What we know:

According to the charges, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, alerted the FBI at 10:17 a.m. on Sept. 18 about a post that read, "TS GMT BOUTTA SHOOT THE SCHOOL UP." 

The post included a photo of what appeared to be classwork featuring a drawing of a human body outline overlaid with the text of the threat.

The FBI traced the IP address to Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside and linked the account to the 16-year-old student. 

NYPD officers located him inside a conference room at the school with a backpack and cellphone. When police dialed the number tied to the Instagram account, the phone in the student’s possession rang, confirming the connection.

Loaded gun recovered

Officers searched the teen’s backpack and found a black Taurus GX4 9mm pistol loaded with a magazine containing 11 rounds and an extender with two additional rounds.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and NYPD.

The Source: This report is based on information from the FBI, NYPD and the Queens DA office. 

Crime and Public Safety