A Virginia couple has been arrested after their third-grade son accidentally discharged an unsecured handgun that he had taken to school. The incident occurred at Lee Hill Elementary School in Spotsylvania County when the child placed the gun in his backpack before heading to class.
Ciara Armstead, 36, and Terrence Carroll Jr., 34, have been charged with recklessly leaving a loaded firearm accessible to a child under 14, a misdemeanor, and endangering the child’s life, a felony.
According to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, the third-grader found the unsecured weapon at home and decided to bring it with him to school. During class, the child reached into his backpack, unintentionally pulling the trigger of the gun.
The shot caused panic but fortunately, there were no injuries. The teacher quickly evacuated the classroom of 26 students and alerted the School Resource Officer. The authorities have confirmed that no one was physically harmed in the incident.
Armstead and Carroll are facing serious charges for their failure to secure the firearm, highlighting the dangers of leaving weapons accessible to children.
