Lawyers: Student charged with weapon possession was bullied

Lawyers representing a middle school student arrested for allegedly bringing an unloaded gun into an Allerton school say he was in fear for his life after being the victim of assaults for years.
The seventh grader was arrested and charged as a juvenile with criminal possession of a weapon after the incident at Bronx Park Middle School on Wallace Avenue.
“The true victim in this case is this young man,” said Walter Fields, who is part of the teen’s defense team. “This young man has been the victim of assaults for numerous years. And just this year, he’s been spit on. A gang has assaulted him. He's feared for his life.”
In a separate incident on Sept. 27, police say 18-year-old Abel Cedeno stabbed two students -- one to death -- at a school on Mohegan Ave. Supporters of the senior say he was viciously bullied as well.
Parents of some Bronx students are now putting the blame on the city's Department of Education, saying it fails to give enough attention to students in distress.
“My daughter is a middle schooler, and I'm scared for my life sometimes,” said Angelique Carrion. “Kids coming to school with guns, knives, that would be a true nightmare if that happened.”
In a statement, the Department of Education said the safety of students and staff members are its main priority.