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Dardanelle School Resource Officer Left Gun in Elementary Bathroom



Dardanelle School Resource Officer Left Gun in Elementary Bathroom
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By: Tyler Thomason
Posted: Jan 09, 2019 04:59 PM CST
Updated: Jan 09, 2019 07:29 PM CST
DARDANELLE, Ark. - A Dardanelle school resource officer has been removed from his on-campus role after leaving a gun in an elementary restroom, according to the Dardanelle School District superintendent.

It happened at the district's Primary School.

A student's grandparent who used the restroom after the officer discovered the firearm and notified a teacher.

Dardanelle superintendent John Thompson says the restroom where the gun was found is located next to a nurse's office and mostly used by staff, but students do use it sometimes.

"I just think of negligence," Emma McGuire says.

McGuire is a mother of two in Dardanelle. One of her daughters is 3 years old.

"If [the officer] has been entrusted with the responsibility of carrying a gun around primary school-aged children, he shouldn't forget it at a bathroom counter."

The incident happened weeks ago, but officials released information about it for the first time on Wednesday.

Sources say the officer remains employed by the Yell County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff did not return our phone calls regarding the matter on Wednesday.

"Even the best people make mistakes," McGuire says.

"He just forgot something that is kind of a big deal to forget."