Officers search Grainger County schools for missing gun
A school resource officer's gun is missing in Grainger County. Police are worried someone has it, and officials are searching in two local schools.
Officers are searching lockers, trash cans, dumpsters, even the top of the school building trying to find the school resource officer's missing Glock 357.
Officers from several departments, even bomb sniffing dogs, are part of the search for the gun officials say was missing from the officer's off-duty holster. Officers say she had the gun earlier in the day. She had been at both Rutledge Middle and Joppa School before she noticed it was missing.
As a Blaine softball team practiced behind Joppa School Tuesday evening, the day's events were on the minds of parents and students.
"A lot of parents want to know what's going on, why a gun is here and why it was put in a position where a kid or somebody could get to it," said parent Steve Browning.
When Steve Browning's seventh grade daughter got home from school, she told him the school had been put under lockdown, and all the students were searched.
"I panicked. I didn't let her know. I said, 'Oh wait a minute. What's going on?'" said Browning.
Fourth grader Bobbi Jean Lusk was outside when they were called in for the lockdown.
"Me and my friend was panicking and everything," said Bobbi Jean Lusk. "We almost started crying because we didn't know what's going on."
Back at Rutledge Middle, officers say they are prepared to search for as long as it takes. They have a message for anyone who may have already found the gun.
"If someone came to the school (Tuesday) and happened to see this weapon laying on the ground and picked it up, we want you to call the police department or the sheriff's department. No questions asked. We want the weapon," said Jesse Jarnigan of the Rutledge Police Department.
Both Rutledge Middle and Joppa School will follow their normal schedules Wednesday.
http://www.wbir.com/news/news.aspx?provider=KNS&storyid=24655
A school resource officer's gun is missing in Grainger County. Police are worried someone has it, and officials are searching in two local schools.
Officers are searching lockers, trash cans, dumpsters, even the top of the school building trying to find the school resource officer's missing Glock 357.
Officers from several departments, even bomb sniffing dogs, are part of the search for the gun officials say was missing from the officer's off-duty holster. Officers say she had the gun earlier in the day. She had been at both Rutledge Middle and Joppa School before she noticed it was missing.
As a Blaine softball team practiced behind Joppa School Tuesday evening, the day's events were on the minds of parents and students.
"A lot of parents want to know what's going on, why a gun is here and why it was put in a position where a kid or somebody could get to it," said parent Steve Browning.
When Steve Browning's seventh grade daughter got home from school, she told him the school had been put under lockdown, and all the students were searched.
"I panicked. I didn't let her know. I said, 'Oh wait a minute. What's going on?'" said Browning.
Fourth grader Bobbi Jean Lusk was outside when they were called in for the lockdown.
"Me and my friend was panicking and everything," said Bobbi Jean Lusk. "We almost started crying because we didn't know what's going on."
Back at Rutledge Middle, officers say they are prepared to search for as long as it takes. They have a message for anyone who may have already found the gun.
"If someone came to the school (Tuesday) and happened to see this weapon laying on the ground and picked it up, we want you to call the police department or the sheriff's department. No questions asked. We want the weapon," said Jesse Jarnigan of the Rutledge Police Department.
Both Rutledge Middle and Joppa School will follow their normal schedules Wednesday.
http://www.wbir.com/news/news.aspx?provider=KNS&storyid=24655
