Laptop saves student when gun in second-grader’s backpack goes off, AL officials say
An elementary student was saved by a laptop after a firearm went off in another student’s backpack at school, Alabama officials said.
A gun inside a second-grader’s backpack accidentally discharged at about 3 p.m. Feb. 6 at Challenger Elementary, a spokesperson for the school district told McClatchy News in a Feb. 11 email and news reports said.
According to school officials, the second-grader was standing in the main school hallway when the gun went off.
The bullet hit another student’s backpack and damaged a laptop inside, but the child was not hurt, aside from experiencing ringing in his ears, school officials said.
Most students had already been dismissed for the day, and no one else was injured, according to the statement.
“We want to assure you that this matter is being handled with the utmost seriousness,” school officials said. “The student responsible will face strict disciplinary action in accordance with applicable board policies and the HCS Code of Conduct.”
Additional safety measures, including weapon detectors and extra security personnel, were at the school the next day, according to the spokesperson.
Huntsville Police said the second-grader could not explain how the gun ended up in their backpack, according to a Feb. 12 statement shared with McClatchy News.
The Department of Human Resources was also contacted to speak with the student’s family, police said.
“On the day of the incident, HPD filed two criminal case reports: one for unlawful possession of a pistol by a minor and another for reckless endangerment,” police said in the release.
However, the district attorney’s office did not issue an unlawful possession warrant for the second-grader. The family of the child who’s backpack was hit was referred to a juvenile detention center for the reckless endangerment charge, police said.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Laptop saves student when gun in second-grader’s backpack goes off, AL officials say."
