10-Year-Old Brings Gun To School: Sheriff

SALEM, OR — A 10-year-old Salem child took an unloaded handgun to elementary school on Wednesday, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office. No motive has been given for the child's actions.

Marion County deputies were reportedly called to Four Corners Elementary School at 500 Elma Ave. SE around 1 p.m. Oct. 3, after school staff found the gun in the student's backpack. According to MCSO spokesman Lt. Chris Baldridge, it was another student who told staff about the gun.

All parties connected to the incident, such as the child's parents, have been notified, and the sheriff's office does not currently believe there is any immediate ongoing threat to the school or students' safety.

"If we felt there was a public need for more information to be released, we definitely would," Baldridge told Patch on Thursday, noting the child's gender is even being kept private at this time.

"Right now we're focusing on the bravery of the kid who told adults at the school what was going on," he continued. "The greatest prevention … comes from people who speak up."

The MCSO School Resource Officer in charge of investigating the incident, Deputy Chris Bangs, echoed Baldridge's statement in a news release sent out Wednesday afternoon.

"Today's events reflect our daily efforts in our school to empower our students that when they see something to say something," Bangs said. "The students and staff efforts today stopped an incident that could have had grave consequences."

Following the MCSO investigation, the case will be referred to the Marion County Juvenile Department, Baldridge said.

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