Teenager was carrying BB gun near Ypsilanti Public Schools property, police say
The man suspected of having a gun near school property in Ypsilanti was carrying a BB gun and had no intent to harm anyone, officials say.
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s spokesman Derrick Jackson said the 19-year-old was walking to his friend’s house to shoot BB guns when he was spotted by a West Middle School faculty member. That employee reported seeing a man with a long gun in the woods near the school.
The sighting prompted five Ypsilanti schools to be put on lockdown for two hours while officials investigated.
Jackson said a sheriff’s deputy based at the school traced footprints in the snow to a house near the school, where he found the young man and his friend.
“In the immediate aftermath, they were terrified,” Jackson said. “They were a little caught off-guard as to what was actually going on.”
Jackson said both the owner of the BB gun and his friend, neither of whom are students in Ypsilanti Public Schools, were cooperative. He said no charges are being filed.
“It’s really important for people to know, even though it was only a BB gun or pellet gun, if you’re walking down the street, what it looks like to the police and other people,” Jackson said. “All this could have been avoided if he wasn’t walking through the woods with a gun.”
Jackson said the incident allowed the sheriff’s department to test its emergency preparedness plans at the school. He said the school and the department acted swiftly to make sure the students were safe.
“It makes me feel comfortable knowing things worked the way they were supposed to yesterday,” he said.
Erica Hobbs can be reached at ericahobbs@annarbor.com.
Comments
tdw
Sat, Jan 9, 2010 : 9:12 a.m.
Chase a 22? a brusie come on
Chase Ingersoll
Fri, Jan 8, 2010 : 9:02 p.m.
I was in the Estabrook Office this morning. Principal confirmed the lock-down and that they tried not to let the kids know. You got to hand it to them for handling it better than the Fed's handled letting the other flights know about the terrorist on Xmas day. I couldn't resist telling her that when I was in the 2nd grade, I went to a school where there were always at least half a dozen rifles hanging from the gun racks of trucks belonging to seniors, parked there by the football field....with the keys in the ignition. It was the 70's and they wore their jeans a bit tight to carry keys in their pockets. We never thought anything of it or the 45's that were probably stuck between the seats. I doubt there was any one of us boys that by the age of 7 had not gotten a 22 rifle rammed in our shoulder so that everyone could have a good laugh as our first shot left us with a bruise in the chest. But being the 7 year old suckers that we were, they would then hand us a 45, show us where to point and squeeze and then laugh all over again as we pulled the trigger and the pistol kicked us in the forehead. You may call it red-neck fun, but after getting slammed twice no kid was stupid enough to ever pick up a gun and point it at anyone. I thought the poor principal was going to have a heart attack.
M.
Fri, Jan 8, 2010 : 11:59 a.m.
ypsituckian - It's pretty standard procedure for schools across the country to go on "lockdown" when there is a perceived threat. Schools get locked down to keep the kids safe in many different scenarios, so yes I think that is the way things are supposed to work.
ice1950
Thu, Jan 7, 2010 : 10:58 a.m.
to ypsituckian and bryan 123 As a responsible gun owner and advocate, I feel I know what's appropriate and important. Carrying a weapon in the open is legal and a licensed concealed pistol is legal also, but on school property (the woods behind West Middle school IS!) it is certainly not legal. Expect attention if you choose to assert your rights and know your restrictions always. Walk around the block away from school property and keep the "weapon" boxed and you avoid lots of problems. The area involved is large block campus composed of a High, Middle, and Elementary school as well as the Ad building. Kudos to Sheriff Clayton, Mr Jackson and the WCSD and other Departments for quick decisive action. This could have been a serious threat.
Bryan123
Thu, Jan 7, 2010 : 7:08 a.m.
I don't quite understand the comment "all this could have been avoided if he wasnt walking through the woods with a gun". If he wanted to use the BB gun at this friends house, how was he supposed to do it? Stuff the thing down his pants so no one would see it? The police probably would have arrested him for carrying a concealed weapon if he did that (I say this slightly tongue in cheek). If it was an airsoft BB gun I know the Ann Arbor police have practically treated those as real firearms in the past, so I wouldn't put it past the Ypsi police to consider it a concealed weapon. Maybe he should have called a cab so that he wouldn't have been walking with it. If anything I think the guy was probably walking in the woods so that he wouldn't alarm people by walking down the street with the BB gun. I wouldn't fault the teacher or the teenager here, I think it was just an honest misunderstanding.
Shark
Thu, Jan 7, 2010 : 6:54 a.m.
I always say better safe then sorry. And when it comes to protecting our kids, there is no such thing as over reacting. To that teacher, Good job! Thanks for watching out for the kids.
Rooted in A2
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 11:34 p.m.
Five Ypsilanti schools put on lockdown AND Ann Arbor schools warned. Great response to a potentially dangerous situation. Thanks to the teacher for taking the initiative and calling the police.
onevalleyguy
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 6:17 p.m.
Some time back a BB gun was used to shoot out car windows in the same Burns neighborhood. Police wouldn't bother with a report.
AAJoker
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 5:51 p.m.
The teen did nothing wrong or irresponsible (unless he as on school property) as walking with a unloaded rifle is not illegal.
ypsituckian
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 3:48 p.m.
I'm not sure if having to put an entire school district on shutdown is an example of how "things worked the way they were supposed to". I agree that the teacher did the right thing. But, what are the laws regarding BB guns? Would I be allowed to walk down Michigan Ave. with one? This somehow doesn't seem right.
tdw
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 3:47 p.m.
What? no comment from those who said the teacher over reacted and needed to be drug tested? here's another old saying " open mouth insert foot"
treetowncartel
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 3:07 p.m.
It must have been the Red-Rider he got for Christmas. If he were 9 instead of 19 it might be a little more excusable. However, once it gets past a cap gun kids need to be shown responsible gun ownership.
djm12652
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 2:06 p.m.
I am glad the teacher made the report. Being complacent is not what we want in regards to the safety of our children.
glimmertwin
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 12:59 p.m.
So much for the teacher that "over reacted". This person knew something was wrong and did exactly as I would hope him/her would. You can't screw around with stuff like this - had this person done something unthinkable and later it was found out that a faculty member saw something and did nothing - well you get the idea.