Jeffrey Crocker

news@breezenewspapers.com

The father of a Mirror Lakes Elementary School student was arrested Thursday after a loaded gun was found in his 6-year-old son’s backpack.

Jeffrey Crocker, 41, was charged with failure to store a firearm in a secure location and neglect child without great bodily harm.

He was released on bond on Friday. Bond was set at $3,000 on the failure to secure a firearm charge; $5,000 on the charge of child neglect.

“The circumstances of this case are absolutely disgusting for a father to put his child in harm’s way, as well as every other student on that bus and at the school is unacceptable. We have avoided a tragedy today,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said during a press conference Thursday afternoon. “Thanks to the brave students who reported this and thanks to the school staff for acting quickly.”

Marceno said they acted as soon as they received the information Thursday morning.

“Detectives from our youth service division assumed this investigation and discovered that the child was recently given a new backpack with a smaller bag that goes inside it. While being taken to the bus stop this morning, the child saw that smaller bag that originally came with his new backpack sitting on the backseat next to him. The child picked up the smaller bag, placed it in his backpack and then (he was) dropped off at the school bus stop,” Marceno said.

That smaller bag contained his father’s 40-caliber pistol, loaded with a round inside the chamber. When the child got on the bus he opened the bag and discovered the gun inside.

“At no point did the child threaten, or point the gun at any student. As soon as the bus driver arrived at the school, a student came forward and reported to school staff,” Marceno said.

Mirror Lakes school administrators acted immediately and located the child before he entered a classroom. The school resource officer was notified.

School Superintendent Dr. Ken Savage said the response Thursday demonstrates the strong partnership between the School District of Lee County and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the importance of having law enforcement in the schools working side by side with the administrators.

“As soon as students reported the potential threat to their bus driver and school administrator, they immediately notified the school resource officer. Together they acted quickly to prevent the student from bringing the weapon on campus and potentially putting our students and staff in harms way,” Savage said. “I want to thank the students that came forward to report what they have seen.”

He said students played a vital role Thursday because they played the first line of defense.

Savage also stressed the importance of parents talking with their children about gun safety and ensuring that they do not have access to weapons of any kind that could potentially cause harm to themselves or others.

Marceno had a similar message.

“If your child is looking at the web, know what they are searching. When that child brings a lunchbox, make sure there is lunch in it. When they bring a bookbag, make sure there isn’t a bookbag in it,” he said. “We have to be one team and I need the parents and everyone to help us be successful.”

Marceno said he is most proud of “See It. Say It. Make the Call.” because everybody is getting involved. He reiterated that he made a promise to do everything in his power to protect students and schools, which is why he has zero tolerance.

“Fake or real, every threat is serious. Zero tolerance means we will charge everyone that is involved,” Marceno said. “Safe kids. Safe schools.”