District attorney: Father of Menomonee Falls elementary school student won't face charges after gun brought to school

MENOMONEE FALLS -- Charges will not be issued against the father of a Menomonee Falls elementary school student after the superintendent said a handgun was "mistakenly" brought to Shady Lane Elementary School in Menomonee Falls on Friday, Jan. 12.

Officials with the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office noted in a news release that the charge of "possession of a firearm on school grounds," is committed by any person who knowingly possesses a firearm at a school.

The investigation determined there is no evidence to conclude anyone knowingly possessed a firearm at the school, so no charges will be issued, the district attorney said.

The district attorney said the father in this case was very cooperative with the Menomonee Falls Police Department, and stated that on Friday morning, his girlfriend followed him to a vehicle repair shop in her vehicle. The father was having repairs done on his vehicle. While he was inside filling out the paperwork at the repair shop, the  girlfriend was gathering his belongings from his vehicle. These belongings included his firearm, which he is legally permitted to possess.  The girlfriend placed the firearm in a black nylon backpack which she believed belonged to the father.  In fact, the backpack instead belonged to the Shady Lane student. The father informed police that he had placed his child’s backpack in his vehicle on Thursday evening and his girlfriend was not aware that it looked similar to the backpack the father normally carries.

After dropping his vehicle off at the repair shop, the father dropped his child off at school with the black backpack. The father was not aware that his firearm was in his child’s backpack. The father’s girlfriend was also very cooperative with law enforcement and confirmed this information.

The conduct here is not criminal but a mistake, the district attorney said.

The district attorney noted this "serves as a good reminder to those who possess firearms to be diligent and cautious in handling them at all times."

Shady Lane Elementary School