COLUMBUS, Ind. – A Columbus Police Department (CPD) School Resource Officer (SRO) received a report of a gun-sighting at McDowell Education Center, 2700 McKinley Ave. on Wednesday.
CPD officers immediately responded and the initial investigation determined that a student saw a man leaning into the back seat of an SUV in the parking lot and noticed a handgun in the back waistband of the man’s pants. The student reported it to a teacher.
Police found the SUV and identified the driver as an 18-year-old man who was carrying a handgun concealed on his person. He was not a prohibited person and was legally allowed to carry a handgun. While bringing a student to McDowell, he briefly exited the vehicle one time and leaned into the back seat, but never left the area of the vehicle.
The man was issued a trespass warning for McDowell and released. All students were kept safely inside the school until law enforcement concluded the investigation.
CPD commended the student for reporting the suspicious behavior and said, “We encourage anyone who sees suspicious or dangerous activity to report it immediately.”
