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A Parkland chemistry teacher who said he was open to the idea of arming himself after the mass shooting at the high school has been arrested after he left a loaded gun in a public bathroom, police said.
Sean Simpson, 43, told police he had removed his personally owned firearm while using the restroom Sunday at the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier, about 13 miles east of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he teaches during the week.
Simpson placed the gun on the handrail of the bathroom stall, then left it behind as he went to wash his hands at a sink inside the stall, according to a Broward County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
“The sink would not work,” the report stated. “He then exited the bathroom stall and washed his hands in the main bathroom sink — then [exited] the bathroom. At this time the gun was still left in the stall.”
Less than five minutes later, Simpson remembered his firearm was in the bathroom; while he was walking back to get it, he heard a single gunshot, police said.
In the restroom, Simpson found another man holding his gun and snatched it from him, police said.
Simpson was arrested Sunday and charged with unsafe storage of a firearm, police said. His firearm, a Glock 43 9mm pistol, had seven rounds loaded in it, police said.
An arrest affidavit for Simpson noted that the public pier was frequented by families and children, especially on a weekend.
“There was a reasonable likelihood that the firearm could have ended up in the hands of a child or the discharge of the firearm could have wounded another person or child,” an arrest affidavit stated.
Simpson was released on a $250 bond. The teacher, who had a valid concealed carry permit, has since returned to work and a school district representative said he is not expected to be disciplined, WPLG News reported.
Police also arrested Joseph Spataro, identified as a homeless man, for trespassing and firing a weapon in public.
The bullet he fired had struck a wall, and a shell casing was later found in the corner of the bathroom stall, police said.
Spataro had “knowingly discharged the firearm in the bathroom to check to see if the firearm was loaded,” his arrest report said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...athroom/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c765f19e5f1e
Sean Simpson, 43, told police he had removed his personally owned firearm while using the restroom Sunday at the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier, about 13 miles east of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he teaches during the week.
Simpson placed the gun on the handrail of the bathroom stall, then left it behind as he went to wash his hands at a sink inside the stall, according to a Broward County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
“The sink would not work,” the report stated. “He then exited the bathroom stall and washed his hands in the main bathroom sink — then [exited] the bathroom. At this time the gun was still left in the stall.”
Less than five minutes later, Simpson remembered his firearm was in the bathroom; while he was walking back to get it, he heard a single gunshot, police said.
In the restroom, Simpson found another man holding his gun and snatched it from him, police said.
Simpson was arrested Sunday and charged with unsafe storage of a firearm, police said. His firearm, a Glock 43 9mm pistol, had seven rounds loaded in it, police said.
An arrest affidavit for Simpson noted that the public pier was frequented by families and children, especially on a weekend.
“There was a reasonable likelihood that the firearm could have ended up in the hands of a child or the discharge of the firearm could have wounded another person or child,” an arrest affidavit stated.
Simpson was released on a $250 bond. The teacher, who had a valid concealed carry permit, has since returned to work and a school district representative said he is not expected to be disciplined, WPLG News reported.
Police also arrested Joseph Spataro, identified as a homeless man, for trespassing and firing a weapon in public.
The bullet he fired had struck a wall, and a shell casing was later found in the corner of the bathroom stall, police said.
Spataro had “knowingly discharged the firearm in the bathroom to check to see if the firearm was loaded,” his arrest report said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...athroom/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c765f19e5f1e
