21-year-old carried replica long gun, intending to scare students at ON B.O.C.E.S. in Sanborn

Staff Reports Posted 22 October 2024 at 7:24 pm

CAMBRIA – A 21-year-old man carried a replica of a long gun, intending to scare students at the Orleans/Niagara B.O.C.E.S/ Niagara Academy in Sanborn, the Naiagar County Sheriff’s Office said.

Owen Weidenboerner

Owen Weidenboerner, 21, of Cambria was charged with attempted menacing in the 2nd degree.

The Niagara County Communications Center received a 911 phone call today at 1:48 p.m. with report of a male walking down Saunders Settlement Road in the area of Shawnee Road carrying what appeared to be a BB gun and waving it around, the Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

Sheriff’s personnel responded to the area and located a male (Weidenboerner) matching the description on Saunders Settlement Road just east of Baer Road. He was carrying what appeared to be a long gun.

Weidenboerner was ordered to drop the weapon, which he complied to, and was quickly detained. The weapon he was carrying was a replica long gun which was not capable of firing, the Sheriff’s Office said.

After Weidenboerner was detained, he told Sheriff’s personnel he intended to walk to the Orleans/Niagara B.O.C.E.S/ Niagara Academy property, gain access to the school and point the weapon at students to instill fear in them, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Weidenboerner was issued an appearance ticket for the charge, returnable for a later date in the Town of Cambria Court. He also was transported to a local facility for a mental health evaluation.