MI Officer Charged After Leaving Gun In HS Parking Lot: Police

LAPEER, MI — A police officer has been charged after leaving a gun in a lunch box in the parking lot of a Lapeer County high school, officials said.

Jonathan Becher was charged with one count of reckless use of a firearm, which holds a punishment of 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. He was placed in jail and released on $500 bond, officials said.

A Lapeer High School employee found the gun in the high school's parking lot at 6:33 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.

The employee handed the gun over to the police department, who then determined it belonged to a Genesee County police officer, officials said.

Investigators believe Becher accidentally left the gun while he was attending a basketball game at the high school on Monday night, officials said.

"The City of Lapeer Police Department will continue to cooperate fully with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office’s internal investigation into this matter," the Lapeer Police Department said in a statement. "The well-being and safety of our citizens and the community we serve is and will always be our number one priority."