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Newly Hired Armed Guard Leaves Gun Unattended At Michigan School

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Jan 18, 2013 5:40PM

A charter school in Lapeer, Mich., recently hired an armed security guard to increase security, but instead the unnamed officer demonstrated one of the potential dangers of adding guns to schools when he "made a breach in security protocol."

On Monday the security officer left an unloaded handgun in the restroom "for a few moments," said Chatfield School Director Matt Young in the Flint Journal. He said no children at the K-8 charter school were exposed to the gun or put in danger.

"The school has put additional security procedures in place that follow local law enforcement practices and guidelines," said Young. "At no time was any student involved in this breach of protocol. We will continue to work on improving school security."

The Flint Journal does not name the security guard, but WNEM-TV5 interviewed new security guard Clark Arnold just days ago, when Young was telling WNEM about a number of new security upgrades at the school, including new cameras, additional lockdown training and Arnold, guarding the front door. See video below.

Young offered the Flint Journal no further specifics on the incident or the repercussions for the security officer, who is retired from the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office. A prosecutor said the guard's actions do not constitute a criminal charge.

"If you left a gun unattended and a toddler finds it and shoots and hurts someone, it could be some kind of reckless use of a firearm," said Lapeer County Prosecutor Byron Konschuh. But since no one found it? "It's almost like no harm no foul."

WNEM TV 5