Teacher Brought Firearm to School Concealed in Her Handbag and Left it Behind.
I really feel for this teacher. As an Instructor I really wished that she perhaps had more training, practice, and cognizance of the gravity of what it meant to be carrying, and the awareness of her immediate situation. Now, she is subject to have a truckload of charges thrown at her.
I am very anal about firearms… and I’ll tell you what I mean when we’re done.
I remember when firearms sales started to spike, Hickok45 did a video for new firearm owners. His first tip was a question: “Where is your firearm right now?” Always know the answer to that question.
On my desk, in a holster, about a foot and a half to my left (lefthanded).
as long as I am awake it is in my shoulder holster,and when asleep it is with in reach,like American Express card,never leave home with out it
Off body sort-of-carry has some significant risks
Case in point.
If I was in search of verbal alternatives, it would be very distasteful to hear. This situation did not have to go down like this. Considering the enormity of the situation, I do feel that whomever it was that found the purse also had access to her contact information. Uh, I’m just saying, I would have handled that situation very, very differently. If it had been me, I would have attempted to make contact with the owner, to include even going to her residence if I couldn’t by phone, text, or email. He co-workers did not have her back at all! And that really galls me.
You and I know she didn’t get any sleep that last night, worrying about where the heck she could have left her purse. You know and I know this, because we carry guns! I’m shaking my head at this because now it presents the person that turned that purse in as a “tattle-tale,” or someone that wanted to get their name in lights and kill someone else reputation in the process. Her life has just been blown up over this, which it is not a frivolous mistake, it is a very huge mistake that will carry unfathomable consequences for her. Boy, I want to use some choice words right now… but my restraint will not allow it.
I’m just saying, this could have been handled much, much better, and much, much differently. Now, it’s in the hands of LE, it has passed the point of no return.
@Nathan57 , @Layton , @Dave17 , @Ouade5 , if were you, and I found what you left, how would you want me to handle that situation? I know how you feel about your regard for this, but you made a mistake; it’s huge mind you, but you made this mistake, and I found it; how would you want me to handle you in its regard?
If i ever find a weapon in a purse or a wallet along with a weapon,I dang sure would not call the LEO about it.I would attempt to locate the person that left the weapon
I totally get that.
But, of course, plenty of people “know” that allowing teachers to carry guns will lead to a student killing other students and/or themselves, intentionally or on accident, when a teacher leaves the firearm where students can get to it
To them, not letting anybody know about this incident directly endangers students because it prevents cracking down on teachers letting kids kill each other. Making an example of the negligence and maybe preventing it from happening again is a huge net positive.
And, I have to say, it’s hard to fault that line of thought.
Because this can not happen. Letting people get away with it clean and clear will only make it easier to happen again in the future.
It’s unfortunate for the person who made the mistakes that led them to that situation, but…it can not happen. And it’s nobodies fault but their own as a sequence of bad decisions were made.
If I left my gun unattended in a school I would want you to inform law enforcement. It sucks but it’s better than LE finding it after a kid kills his friend
Consider this, this story might prompt somebody to NOT off body pretend-carry, and NOT leave their gun in the school, and might literally save a child’s life because now that person that was going to carry in their purse is going to be like “well darn I don’t want that to be me”
I may be bias, I have a child in elementary school and I don’t want a teacher or sub or anybody else leaving a handgun in their purse in the school. If the negligent person gets the book thrown at them for doing so and that’s what keeps it from happening again then so be it
Nathan57, I love you for your stance. But see, while it could have, or the possibility did exist that it could have ended in tragedy, the fact is, it didn’t. This was known while the finder was on their way to the administrator’s office. Between finding and arriving at the administrator’s office, a whole lot of things could have occurred. The worst could have been the finder using it for their own purposes, very tragically true, but on the other hand something more positive could have taken place. The same integrity exercised to turn it in, could have also been used to notify the owner.
I probably, with all of the aforementioned in mind, would have contacted her and mandated a training session. If she didn’t respond, then it would have shown up in the administrator’s office for their disposition. The fact is, nothing happened, but to be sure, her life is still blown to bits. And that’s real, right there.
I’m glad for the opportunity to talk this out, here. So as to get past of the human emotions, and work through varying scenarios or trains of thought, here. So, when duty calls… there’ll be no hesitation.
Yes, the carrier got lucky. This time.
Do we give drunk drivers who go through a red light at 60 mph a friendly hey take this driving class we don’t need any official involvement because the fact is nobody got hurt? This time.
What I wonder, if she didn’t get any sleep that night as you say, why is it somebody else was at the school the next morning before her and able to pick up the bag first? What time do the doors open? I’d be there in the parking lot awhile before that, and then at the door a lesser while before that…I really need to pay a bill and I need my wallet that is in that purse ASAP beeline right for it. Janitor or whomever gets in early, I’d be there.
Just thinking out loud
I opened myself wide for that comment. I knew as soon as I hit the reply button, geeez. You’re right. I truly hope that I’m never put in that position. There are two distinguished sides, and none of them are good, and yet, both have ultimate positive outcomes, but each one hurts something and someone. What a hellofalesson.
Off body carry may have some advantages, is it worth chancing?
I want my firearm strapped to my person, no matter how inconvenient.
It is the only true way that I can control its access while in a conscious and cognizant state.
If it leaves my direct control, then I was either unconscious, incapacitated, or in some diminished state.
Otherwise, I have direct control over it at all times.
I do agree with failure to secure a weapon and the Person not have the training to even use it what really is a non trained person is going to do with a weapon that they are not training with the weapon,they are a danger to every one around them
I would venture to think that the last place she would think that she left her purse was at the school, because that would just be “ultra-unthinkable.” She may have gone to the grocery store, or some place else where it could have been left on a counter, accidentally thrown in the trash somewhere, but at the school? Oh, heck no!
IMO that would be even worse.
Given the situation, it wouldn’t be hard to spin out.
I don’t know what this post means