2nd-Grade boy brings cocked and loaded gun to school in Arkansas to play Cowboys and Indians

An 8-year old boy brought a cocked and loaded .22-caliber revolver to school with him in Little Rock, Arkansas, showing it off to a friend and apparently wanting to play "Cowboys and Indians."

From the article:

Authorities in Little Rock say a second-grader at Daisy Bates Elementary School is recommended for expulsion after bringing a cocked and loaded pistol to school to show a friend.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday that the 8-year-old boy had the gun in his backpack and showed it to a friend, who alerted a teacher.

The boy, who is not being named because of his age, told a sheriff’s deputy he had hoped to play cowboys and Indians with the .22-caliber revolver.

The investigative report says the boy’s father was shaken and told deputies the pistol should have been in a locked gun cabinet.

From a related article:

"All him and his brothers have been taught... that's a dangerous thing and it's nothing to play with," said Young.

She said, "It's a situation we've all trained our kids, grand kids to be aware and it's sad that they have to be aware."

The student could face expulsion, but no criminal charges as deputies say you have to be 10-years-old to be charged with a felony in the state.  The parents could still face criminal charges.

The child told deputies he wanted to play cowboys and Indians and show his friend the gun.  He said he was sorry he brought it to class.

The boy's father told deputies the .22 revolver was supposed to be locked up and he wasn't sure how the child got his hands on the gun.

Deputies say the child has Asperger Syndrome and did not realize the severity of the offense.

Roush said, "We applaud the student for doing the right thing and telling an adult what he had seen and what he had suspected."

She said they are planning a gun safety assembly at the school and reminded parents to check backpacks before they leave the house.

Apparently training a child in gun safety wasn't enough to keep him from doing this, nor, apparently, locking it up.  And as if having a gun in the home wasn't dangerous enough, this home had a child with Asperger's Syndrome!

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.