Handgun taken to a Tulsa school

Friday, December 10th 2004, 11:27 am

By: News On 6

A Tulsa second grader brings a gun to school. The parents of a Whitman Elementary School student called Tulsa Police early Friday morning when they found a loaded Derringer handgun in his backpack.

News on 6 anchor Scott Thompson says the quick thinking mom who called police Friday is probably the only reason the gun didn't show up at school for a second day in a row.

Investigators say a second grade boy brought the loaded gun to school Thursday and was showing it to one of his friends. Tulsa Police say they think the boy brought the gun to school out of curiosity and that he didn't plan on shooting anyone. In fact, he thought it was a toy. He then sent the gun home with another boy in his class.

The second student had the gun packed up in his book bag, ready to go back to school Friday and it would have, except his parents found it first and called authorities. Police say it is lucky this situation didn't turn out differently.

Tulsa Police Sgt Kim Presley: "They were playing with the gun inside the classroom. And at any time, it doesn't matter if it's after school, before school, during school hours; it's dangerous to have a firearm, especially for a child to be near that firearm."

The gun is now in police custody and the school district is considering disciplinary action against the students.