A handgun on top of books inside a backpack.

Texas Fourth Grader Takes Loaded Gun to School in Backpack

A Fort Worth, Texas elementary school sent a letter to parents notifying them about an incident where a student carried a loaded gun in their backpack.

In the letter to parents with students at Greenfield Elementary in the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District, administrators explained that they were made aware of the incident on November 9.

Two other students loading a school bus told school administrators that a fourth-grader had the gun, officials said.

“…Administrators immediately located the student and did confiscate a handgun and ammunition without incident. Fort Worth police officers were called to the campus,” the letter said.

The 9-year-old child had the gun in their backpack all day and don’t believe the child intended to use the weapon, police said.

“It seems like it was more of an opportunity to show, ‘I’m cool, look what I have, look what I did,’” Megan Overman, a spokesperson for the school district, told The Fort-Worth Star Telegram. “Rather than ... any kind of negative or dangerous intent.”

It’s not known where the child got the gun or how they were able to get it from one location to the school unnoticed, reports a local news station.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. She can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • Transformed Yale Peabody Museum Reopens in Stunning Style

    Emerging from a major four-year renovation, the reimagined Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History has reopened its doors to the delight of the citizens of its longtime home in New Haven, Connecticut and the many visitors, students, and researchers who come to explore and learn about its breathtaking collections and fascinating exhibitions. Read Now

  • CISA Releases Anonymous Threat Response Guidance and Toolkit for K-12 Schools

    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when these threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies. Read Now

  • How Hospitals are Using Modern Technology to Improve Security

    Workplace violence is a serious and growing challenge for many organizations — including those in the healthcare industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in healthcare and social services experience the highest rates of injuries caused by workplace violence and are five times as likely to suffer a workplace violence injury than workers overall — and aggressive incidents are rising. Read Now

  • Father of Georgia School Shooting Suspect Charged in Connection With Attack

    Colin Gray, the father of the 14-year-old Georgia school shooting suspect, has also been charged in connection with the attack. The 54-year-old father was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Read Now

Webinars