Akili-Abdul Duncan, 53, of Albany, was taken into custody on felony weapons charges by Guilderland Police on Thursday, March 20, the agency said.
Duncan, who has taught in Albany area schools since 2006, was connected to a loaded pistol that was recovered from Crossgates Mall in 2021, according to police. He does not possess a New York State pistol permit, police added.
The arrest followed a “lengthy investigation” that included assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and the Rensselaer Police Department, police said.
Duncan was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a felony. Following arraignment in Guilderland Town Court, he was remanded to the Albany County jail.
The Guilderland School District, where Duncan has worked as a technology teacher and supervisor of student detention since 2022, acknowledged the arrest in a letter to parents on Friday, March 21.
“Upon learning of the arrest, the Guilderland Central School District placed the employee on administrative leave and revoked his access to all GCSD buildings,” Superintendent Marie Wiles said, noting that Duncan underwent a “rigorous review process” before he was hired.
“This includes the required New York State Department of Education fingerprinting and background check, which the employee cleared at the time without issue,” Wiles said. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a safe and emotionally supportive learning environment for the children at Farnsworth Middle School and all of our students.”
Duncan also serves as a youth program facilitator for the City of Albany, a role he has held since 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile.
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