Police called after teacher allegedly had gun in purse at Toledo charter school

TOLEDO, Ohio — An incident at an east Toledo charter school is under investigation after a teacher was allegedly in possession of a firearm at the school Monday. 

According to a statement from L. Hollingworth School (LHS) on Miami Street, staff received “credible information from members of the student body” that a staff member was potentially in possession of an “inappropriate and potentially dangerous item” at the school. 

LHS administrators notified Toledo police at approximately 10 a.m. and placed the school on a brief “shelter in place”. The teacher and students were removed from the classroom in question while police arrived on scene and investigated. 

According to a police report, officers located a firearm in the teacher’s purse inside the drawer of the teacher’s desk drawer. 

Officers took possession of the firearm and continue to investigate. No charges were filed as of Tuesday morning. 

WTOL 11 reached out to LHS, which provided a statement. It is included in full below:

“Due to the ongoing investigation and student privacy laws, the staff of L. Hollingworth School are limited in what specific details can be shared. 

However, yesterday, staff received credible information from members of the student body that a staff member may be in possession of an inappropriate and potentially dangerous item on school grounds. Our administrative team responded immediately and notified local law enforcement. Due to the quick response from all appropriate authorities, no students or staff members were in any immediate danger. The item is now in the custody of the Toledo Police Department while the investigation continues. 

Our expectations for school safety are very high for both students and staff, and the school takes all potentially dangerous situations seriously. We are proud of our students who spoke up, allowing us to quickly respond and maintain a safe school environment for all.”

The school also included language from its staff handbook policy that specifies firearms and dangerous weapons are not tolerated on the LHS property or at an LHS-sponsored event.