Minneapolis student pointed gun at another student, dean stepped between them: Charges
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A teenager at North Community High School in Minneapolis allegedly pulled a gun on another student, but a school dean stepped between the gun and the other student. The teenager is now charged with assault.
Deandre Antiown Depratto Jr., 18, is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection to the Feb. 8 incident. Depratto was scheduled to appear in court on the afternoon of Friday, March 3.
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to North Community High School on a report of threats involving a gun. Officers met with the assistant principal and safety coordinator, who reported two students got into an altercation at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 8.
In the incident, Depratto allegedly pulled a gun out of his backpack and pointed it at the victim, another student. Then, the dean of students "stepped between the two of them and the gun," the complaint said. Depratto was asked to leave and refused to give school officials the gun. He wasn't at school when the police arrived.
Police spoke with the victim and his mom. The victim said he was in the lobby area outside of Dean of Students Gurley's office when Depratto began arguing over "dice" that fell out of his pocket. The victim said Depratto suddenly reached into his backpack and pulled out a gun, adding he was in shock, and then Gurley stood between them. Then Depratto left, the victim said, according to the complaint.
Police then spoke with Gurley, who was "visibly shaken and had to be given a few minutes to compose herself," the complaint states. She said at about 2:30 p.m., she heard and saw Depratto and the victim arguing, and then saw Depratto reach into his backpack and pull out a gun, pointing it at the victim.
Gurley said she then stepped between the two students, at which point the gun was then pointed at her, charges said. Gurley said she feared for her life but believed Depratto would not shoot her. She then said she told Depratto to put the gun down and Depratto seemed to "snap out of it" and lowered the gun.
Another dean at the school, Lamar Wright, told police he walked into the room after hearing a commotion and students yelling "He's got a gun!" Wright saw Depratto with a handgun in his waistband, but he didn't see Depratto raise the gun or put it down anywhere. He was concerned about getting Depratto out of the building.
Once Wright got Depratto to the school doors, he asked Depratto to give him the gun but Depratto refused, charges allege. Wright said out of fear, he didn't want to try to take the gun from Depratto and he then escorted him out of the school building.
Staff advised police that Depratto wouldn't be allowed back on campus, and the staff was instructed to call 911 if he returned.
On March 1, an officer assisted in locating Depratto and learned he was staying with his mom in Minneapolis. Police conducted surveillance on the house, spotting Depratto enter the home. Police got a search warrant of the home, but didn't find the gun Depratto had at school, charges state.
Depratto was taken to the police station to be interviewed but Depratto refused to speak with the investigator. He was then taken to jail.