Preschooler Brings Loaded Gun To VA School: Police

RICHMOND, VA — A man is facing charges after a student brought a loaded gun to a Virginia preschool, authorities said.

A spokesperson for the Richmond Police Department said officers were called to Maymont Preschool in Richmond shortly after 2:10 p.m. Monday after receiving a report of a gun at the school.

When police arrived, a staff member said the loaded gun was found inside a student's backpack. Staff recovered the gun before it was confiscated by police, authorities said.

Parents whose children attend the preschool told WTVR that the child with the gun is 3 years old.

Valentino Christian, 34, of Chesterfield, was charged with allowing children access to firearms, police said. According to authorities, Christian is a member of the student's family.

No injuries were reported.

Tyler Glenn’s four-year-old son attends Maymont Preschool and questioned how the school handled the case.

“This was a three-year-old with a loaded gun in their backpack. Anyone knows a loaded gun carries weight. So the backpack should have been too heavy for the child. And again on the school's behalf, why are we no longer checking backpacks to make sure that folders are turned in, paperwork is turned in?” Glenn said to WTVR.

Richmond Public Schools sent the following statement to WRIC about the incident:

"During dismissal yesterday, a staff member found a weapon in a student’s bag at Maymont Preschool. The weapon was immediately reported to Care and Safety, and Richmond Police were called in."

The statement continued, "Safety and security is a top priority of Richmond Public Schools, and we take incidents like this extremely seriously. We strive to build a safe, positive, and healthy culture at all our schools."