Pownal woman issued criminal citation following elementary school gun incident
POWNAL, Vt. (NEWS10) — A Pownal woman has been issued a criminal citation in connection to a gun incident at Pownal Elementary School on March 19, according to the Bennington County Sheriff's Department. Crystal Mahar was cited for negligent firearm storage.
The citation comes after a student allegedly brought an unloaded nine-millimeter handgun and 67 rounds of ammunition into the elementary school on Wednesday. The student reportedly stored the firearm in their backpack.
According to the sheriff's department, the student had sent a message about the gun over social media. The morning of the incident, two other students notified school officials about the child's plan to bring the firearm to school. During a meeting with the child, the gun and ammunition were reportedly located and taken, and the child was removed from campus.
"This incident serves as a reminder of the critical role that responsible firearm storage plays in keeping our communities and schools safe," Bennington County Sheriff James Gulley Jr. said in the press release. "We urge all gun owners to take every precaution to ensure firearms are securely stored and out of reach of children."
The state's attorney's office is handling all of the official documentation pertaining to the case, the sheriff's office said. According to authorities, any information regarding the elementary student is protected and will not be released, including their identity.
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