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Police: Teacher brought gun to Center City charter school

Published  May 25, 2018 12:57pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Parents picking up their children at the Russell Byers Charter School in Center City Wednesday evening were stunned to hear that a teacher is under investigation for bringing a gun to the school.

"I was actually shocked," Adairiss Burnett told FOX 29. "It's not something you expect to see so it kind of threw me off guard to get an email about it."

"I think it's kind of shocking for guns to be in school with a teacher even carrying a gun," a grandfather said as he picked up his granddaughter.

Police said they were called to the school around 11:15 a.m. after a 9mm Taurus handgun was discovered in the teacher's bag by students after it fell off his desk while he was out of the classroom. A student alerted school officials.

Police initially stated that the gun was loaded, but Friday they corrected that information, saying the gun was, in fact, not loaded.

School officials told FOX 29 all along the weapon was not loaded and no children were in danger. They say student safety is their top priority.

"I'm glad a child actually opened their mouth and said something cause who knows what anybody's intention is," Burnett said.

"Right now, the matter is being investigated by Central Detectives and either has been or will be reviewed by the DA's office for charging consideration," Captain Sekou Kinebrew told FOX 29.

The 30-year-old teacher was suspended indefinitely as police and the district attorney investigate. State law prohibits guns on school property. The teacher was released after questioning pending further investigation. He is licensed to carry a weapon.

"I'm not drawing any conclusion about the intent of this particular teacher, but we take these type matters very seriously," Captain Kinebrew added.

"That was actually a really crazy situation," Burnett said.

Burnett's 5-year-old daughter attends school here. She says it's a good school with good security. Still, a gun in a classroom troubles her.

"He shouldn't have did that," she said. "That was a bad, poor choice of judgment on his behalf."

Police say the teacher told them he was headed to the gun range after school and mistakenly took the wrong bag from his car.