Gun brought to St. Paul school by first grader fires round

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - St. Paul police are investigating after a 7-year-old brought a handgun to school Thursday morning. Police say the gun was fired into the floor inside the school. The incident happened at 8:40 a.m. at Crossroads Elementary school.

Police say no one was hurt and they’re investigating how the student had access to a gun and what led to the gun discharging.

Statement from St. Paul Public Schools

"Today a serious situation occurred Crossroads Elementary School. A first grade student brought a handgun into the building. The gun was brought into a classroom and at 8:40 a.m. it was discharged into the floor.

Thankfully no one was hurt.

There were no threats directed at staff and students. Staff immediately confiscated the weapon and the police department is investigating the incident.

The District’s crisis communications team responded immediately and will remain at the school throughout the day to assist as needed.

There are serious consequences for these actions and we will follow our standard discipline procedures as outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook and Minnesota State law."

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi's statement

In light of the incident today in which a 7-year-old child brought a loaded gun to school in our community, I want to issue an important reminder to parents: If you own a gun, it is not only your responsibility to lock up your gun and keep it stored safely away from children, it is the law. 

We were fortunate that adults responded quickly today and no one was hurt, but please take a moment to lock your guns and ensure they are well out of reach of children. In Ramsey County, we launched a gun safety initiative to keep children safe by giving out free gun locks at community locations. Please visit www.ramseycounty/gunsafety.com for a list of locations to pick up your free gun lock along with tips on safe gun storage.