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Charges pending against adult who left pistol where child could take it

Lead Summary

Charges are pending against an adult in Benson who left a loaded .38- caliber pistol lying around where a kindergartner was able to pick it up and bring it to school last week.
The pistol was loaded with five live rounds and one spent round, according to Benson Chief of Police Ian Hodge.  The weapon was not in the child’s home, but another residence.
He said the misdemeanor charge of negligent storage of a firearm should be filed by the middle of this week.
Friday morning the District 777 Board of Education met in an emergency session and voted to not expel the student, Supt. Dennis Laumeyer said Tuesday morning. Though the state’s zero tolerance law says that a student who brings a gun to school will be expelled for up to a year, it also provides the local school district with the discretion to decide the appropriate punishment.
That the student was not expelled does not mean there are not consequences for the action, Laumeyer said.

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