Boys charged with bringing gun to Golden Valley middle school

Two boys are facing charges after allegedly bringing a handgun to Sandburg Middle School in Golden Valley in November, showing off the gun in a social media video that police say the boys filmed in the school bathroom.

Each boy has been charged with one felony count of being under 18 in possession of ammunition, a pistol or an assault weapon.

Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green said Robbinsdale Area School District officials took nearly a week to report the video to police. Green said he first heard allegations that boys had a weapon at school after a school parent saw a news report about the Snapchat video and called police.

"Robbinsdale School officials took five days before they notified our department, then refused to turn over the Snapchat video,," Green said.

Green said police got a search warrant and obtained the video, and submitted charges to the juvenile division of the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Police announced the charges Wednesday afternoon.

Within weeks of the video incident, the Robbinsdale school board had amended the district's policy on dealing with dangerous weapons, according to meeting materials. The board added a requirement for school administrators to report to police if students bring firearms to school.

"The district has also refined its security protocols, which prioritizes communications with the seven law enforcement agencies that work with our district," Robbinsdale Superintendent David Engstrom said in a statement.

"If something like this happens again, we are immediately notified about it," Green said.