At approximately 11:00AM today, September 3, 2008, officers from the Boston Police School Unit and officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) responded to 270 Columbia Rd. in Dorchester/ Frederick Pilot Middle School for a report of a found firearm.On arrival, officers spoke to school administrators who indicated to officers that they had found a backpack that contained a firearm and directed officers to the bag. Officers responded to the location of the bag and inspected its contents. While examining the contents of the bag, officers found a loaded semi-automatic handgun. During further inspection of the contents of the bag, officers observed a magazine with a name imprinted on its cover. Detectives subsequently learned that the name on the magazine was a staff member of the school.
Officers then inquired about the location of the suspect and learned that he had left the building but that the detectives could be directed to his location. Upon being lead to the suspect’s location, officers detained the suspect and confronted him with the presence of the gun in his bag. The suspect immediately exclaimed that the bag was his brother’s and as such the gun also.
The suspect, James L. Jackson, 38, of Mattapan was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of a Ammunition and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm on School Property. At the station, post Miranda warnings, the suspect changed his earlier statement and reported to officers that he had taken the gun from a group of students in the area of Washington Street and Columbia Road after he observed them assaulting someone in the area. However, the suspect had no names or any other information about the individual from whom he had taken the gun.

At approximately 11:00AM today, September 3, 2008, officers from the Boston Police School Unit and officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) responded to 270 Columbia Rd. in Dorchester/ Frederick Pilot Middle School for a report of a found firearm.On arrival, officers spoke to school administrators who indicated to officers that they had found a backpack that contained a firearm and directed officers to the bag. Officers responded to the location of the bag and inspected its contents. While examining the contents of the bag, officers found a loaded semi-automatic handgun. During further inspection of the contents of the bag, officers observed a magazine with a name imprinted on its cover. Detectives subsequently learned that the name on the magazine was a staff member of the school.
Officers then inquired about the location of the suspect and learned that he had left the building but that the detectives could be directed to his location. Upon being lead to the suspect’s location, officers detained the suspect and confronted him with the presence of the gun in his bag. The suspect immediately exclaimed that the bag was his brother’s and as such the gun also.
The suspect, James L. Jackson, 38, of Mattapan was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of a Ammunition and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm on School Property. At the station, post Miranda warnings, the suspect changed his earlier statement and reported to officers that he had taken the gun from a group of students in the area of Washington Street and Columbia Road after he observed them assaulting someone in the area. However, the suspect had no names or any other information about the individual from whom he had taken the gun.