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Hidden Loaded Gun Discovered by Student in Classroom Ceiling (and Former Teacher Is Arrested for It)

Mar. 21, 2013 12:13pm Billy Hallowell

Christopher Johnson, a criminal justice teacher at Kokomo Area Career Center in Kokomo, Ind., resigned in May 2012 from the position he had held for five years. The district said that, despite his decision to leave, there were no issues — that is, until a student in Johnson’s former classroom found a loaded gun hidden in the ceiling nearly 10 months after the teacher’s departure.

On March 8, the weapon was discovered after a pupil noticed it stored in the ceiling. After learning about the finding, Johnson inevitably turned himself into the Howard County Criminal Justice Center, WXIN-TV reports.

The school’s communications manager, David Barnes, explained what happened following the bizarre incident.

“One of the students was holding up a tape measure and bumped the ceiling (and) saw there was something there,” Barnes said, calling the guns presence a “pure act of irresponsibility.”

WXIN-TV reports that Johnson’s account of how the gun made its way into the classroom ceiling is somewhat scattered. The teacher told officers that he assumed his ex-wife had the gun and that he had not seen it in years; if he had brought it to the school, he said it was unintentional.

“Mr. Johnson said he did not remember putting the gun in the ceiling,” the court document reads.

He apparently added that it would have been logical for him to store the gun in the ceiling in an effort to keep it away from students (if he brought it in the first place).

In an interview with the outlet, the former teacher stressed the importance of due process and declined to give additional information.

“The only thing I’ll say is we have a system that says that we’re innocent until proven guilty,” he told WXIN-TV. “I believe in that system and all I would ask is that the media and the public believe in that system too.”

For now, Johnson will be forced to rely on the legal system to learn his fate, as he’s been charged with possessing a firearm on school property (a felony) and criminal recklessness (a misdemeanor).

(H/T: WXIN-TV)

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Comments (41)

KingCoal59
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:05am
Oh whatever he has to say he doesn’t remember but he has put it there for an emergency in case of a gunman coming into the school, now that is a more likely scenario. Its crazy to think otherwise.

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TooManycats
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 7:14pm
I don’t know. I will give him the benefit of the doubt only because I’ve had one stolen from me, while sleeping, in my own home. My husband and I were fighting at the time, and I honestly thought maybe he had taken it before leaving for work. It was locked up in a safe, but the safe wasn’t exactly hard to break into. We did report it as stolen as soon as we both realized that the other didn’t take it, but if we had parted ways, I would probably still be waiting for it to turn up somewhere and get me into trouble. Divorce makes people do ugly things. Some people are bothe vindictive and patient. Best thing he could have done was report it when he noticed it was missing though. I still know the date mine disappeared, and it was five years ago. There is no I don’t know, or maybe, or I don’t remember for me. There’s just the fact that I woke up on 2-20-2008, and the thing wasn’t where it was the night before. I suppose if it turned up in the ceiling of my former workplace, it wouldn’t matter that it was reported. I guess it’s a good thing that I didn’t work at a school.

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- Al Gator
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 7:33pm
  I don’t know, maybe its just me and my bad breaking attitude, but if I would stumble across a nice piece, and no is looking, it would be a real challenge not to just shut the eff up and put it in the ground somewhere. For safe keeping you know?
  
  And then forgeddaboudit.
  
  But like the lottery, everyone ELSE finds these things like Easter eggs on an open lawn.
  
  ME? God hates me like that. LOL
  
  Report this comment
Steve28
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 3:28pm
He got the idea from Breaking Bad, but put a gun there versus a cellphone.

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OniKaze
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:58pm
I am ashamed to be a fellow Hoosier…. It is common sense… If you own a gun, it should either be kept on your person, or in a location that will not be bothered by others (where someone else can get your gun and use it…).

I know exactly where my guns are (and are not) since I don’t want to go to jail because some schmuck shot someone with MY gun, making ME look guilty…

NO-ONE touches my guns, but me…

What an idiot…

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THX-1138
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:44pm
Good Grief. To quote Clint Eastwood, “I have a very strict gun control policy: if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it.”

If my gun isn’t ON ME it’s locked up. How hard is that?

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- firedsilver.ok
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:52am
  A locked up gun bars your use as well as that of anyone else, because I guarantee you won’t be able to operate your locks, combos, etc. fast enough in a bona fide life or death emergency situation. Especially if it’s in the middle of the night and you are surprised from a deep sleep.
  
  I am so sick of all these PC bound gun owners that have been brainwashed by our culture and the media. If you have a gun, the most important thing you can do isn’t to keep it locked up; rather, educate your family and actually go shooting with them once in a while. That is what is lacking in the homes of many gun owners. Responsibility doesn’t start with fear (think locks and safes) but with education and training. If you can’t or won’t educate yourself and those around you so that any weapon can be handled safely (without having to tote a gun safe on your back), then please STFU and leave the rest of us alone. Because some of us are better at running our lives and homes than you or the gov’t are.
  
  Report this comment
wilbstal
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:24pm
2nd amendment rights shall not be infringed. you Liberals need to read the Us Constitution and Bill of Rights, before its too late

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katzkiner
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:56pm
Sounds like a set up. Some people have no idea the lengths ex’s will go to for revenge. Been through that hell.

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- DarthMims
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:15pm
  But he says if he did bring it, it was unintentional. Then instead of saying “No, I didn’t bring it” he says that he doesn’t remember bringing it. Then he mentions that if he did bring it, he would have put it in the ceiling for safe keeping. I don’t think anyone else is involved, but I don’t think we have heard the full story on this guy yet.
  
  Report this comment
- PutGodBackInAmerica
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:54pm
  Agreed.
  
  Says ex had it then realizes that although they are not together he does not really want her in prison so tried to keep her out.
  
  Hopefully no charges will stick unless they can actually determine who is responsible.
  
  One thing about it his class would have been a safe place had a school shooting happened there had the teacher known about the gun.
  
  Report this comment
- Displacedsoutherner
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:01am
  Darthmims,
  
  When I read statements like this guy made it sounds just like a Democrat when they get caught doing something idiotic, illegal and/or immoral.
  
  “I don’t recall”, “You’re taking that out of context”, “My Facebook page was hijacked”, “If I did anything wrong, I apologize” , “What difference does it make now?”, “Do you know who I am?”
  
  Report this comment
- DarthMims
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:08pm
  @DISPLACED
  Exactly what I was thinking. This guy should run for a Democratic House seat.
  
  Report this comment
galaxie_man
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:42pm
I work in suspended ceilings all the time, and find everything form mouse poop to tools. If I were to find a gun up there, well……IT’S MINE NOW!!

Since I can’t afford to buy one, even if I could find one to buy….it would be my first. Because I don’t own a single firearm.

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termyt
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:40pm
Misdemeanor, you bet.

Felony? Really?

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- Jaycen
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 3:18pm
  Of course, because once you’ve been charged with a felony, you can no longer own a gun. See how neat and tidy it is?
  
  Criminal recklessness is a misdemeanor, but simply possessing a firearm at a school is a felony. Crazy world.
  
  Report this comment
thegreatcarnac
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:37pm
Don’t forget where you leave your gun. Keep it with you.

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- GuruMeditation
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:54pm
  The best place for it is one your hip. Any where else is an UN-necessary risk. Unfortunately some laws create these UN-necessary risks.
  
  Report this comment
Locked
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:12pm
First reaction: “I don’t think he should be charged with anything; in our current world, having a teacher know where a gun is, and having it close by in case of a shooter on the campus, is a good thing.”
Second thought: “Wait… he claims he didn’t remember even putting it there? Yeah, the guy’s an idiot then. Charge him for it.”

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progressiveslayer
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:09pm
You would’ve thought they found a nuclear device in the ceiling,it’s a gun so what’s the bfd? Yes I’m well aware of the unconstitutional ‘gun law’ that says a gun can’t be on school property I mean other than that what’s the bfd? I think it’s strange he put the gun in the ceiling since it wouldn’t do him much good there he wanted the protection without having the weapon on him.

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tradcatholicgirl
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:46pm
If my kids were in an institutional school, I would hope that the teachers all had guns hidden in the ceiling. At least I know there would be someone to protect them if a shooter let loose.

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- Eastinfection
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:00pm
  Hi Trad…
  
  I think that would only help if the teacher remembered stashing it there ;)
  
  Report this comment
- tradcatholicgirl
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 5:14pm
  Yeah, that helps, East. :)
  
  Or ya know what really helps? If the teachers are smart enough to come up with a better alibi when the guns are accidentally found!
  
  “I forgot.” Sheesh…kinda like “the dog ate my homework!”
  
  Report this comment
- TH777
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 10:38pm
  @Tradcatholicgirl: I’m with you on that one!
  
  Report this comment
Richalu
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:44pm
A teacher there from 2007 till 20012. What happened in that time to perhaps prompt him to hide a gun in the ceiling? VA. Tech shooting perhaps? (Apr. 2007)

Having said that. Did he put it there? Did his ex-wife, to get back at him for something? If he did it, how could he forget it when he left? Why lie about it now? He, being a Criminal Justice teacher, should know that 1) it’s illegal to do what he did, and 2) realizes the penalty for it.

I see him trying to blame his ex when this goes to trial. Reasonable doubt.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:22pm
  That is what I am thinking as self defense against a school shooter. That is why I would try for jury nullification. If judges & DA can ignore the law such as when a DA uses his/her discretion, the juries should be able to also.
  
  Having it the ceiling was probably more convenient & did not ran the risk of accidental discovery from a road stop by LEO or a bag search at a school.
  
  Report this comment
RaydocX
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:44pm
This story has FAR too many holes…
no way the teacher ‘doesn’t remember’ putting it there.
no explanation what the kid was doing in the ceiling…
‘bumped it with a tape measure?’ I call shenanigans on that claim… a floating tile with the weight of a firearm on it won’t ‘bump’ as the story claims.
and why ‘criminal recklessness’… this was not brandishing, or leaving it in an open drawer…
it would not be reasonable to expect a student to take a tape measure (ahem, shenanigans!) and breach the ceiling structure.

i cannot believe the teacher forgot it was there…

there are simply too many unanswered questions, and unless you are sitting in the courtroom, you will not get those answers… even direct presence won’t guarantee it makes sense at the end of it all.

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- SingerGuy
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:53pm
  How much you want to bet that the gun was handled by multiple people after it was removed from the ceiling so that there is no good forensic evidence to say definitively that he did/didn’t put it up there?
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:54pm
  While i’ll concede that this story is fishy, RAYDOCX… you are wrong about tape measures.
  
  Anyone who owns a “FatMax” (the best selling-brand of tape) knows they could easily extend their tape measure and lift a suspended ceiling tile…. even if it had a few lbs of crap on it.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:23pm
  SingerGuy
  
  “How much you want to bet that the gun was handled by multiple people after …”
  
  Before or after they checked it was loaded?
  
  And how did they handle it? Were they are aware of who was downrange?
  
  The answer to these questions is probably no.
  
  Report this comment
Sargeking
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:42pm
There’s more to this story than meets the ceiling tile. How do we know the gun wasn’t stolen and then planted to make the teacher look bad? When was the last time you heard of anyone pushing a tape measure up high enough and stiff enough to move a ceiling tile? Try to extend a tape measure about nine feet (that includes the length from your waist upward) and see if the tape doesn’t flop over? Carpenters usually employ a tape measure. Most students use a 12 inch ruler. Some detective or other had better start “measuring” the facts with a little deductive reasoning.

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jungle J
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:39pm
Any sane male would not teach without a gun or cop in the room with these animals.

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Cavallo
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:35pm
Weird. And a criminal justice instructor to boot. I didn’t realize that career centers were considered “schools”?

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SGT Rock
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:27pm
What was the kid hidingi n the ceiling himself to discover the gun?

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RestoreCapitalism
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:27pm
It wasn’t a smart move, but they will be sure to ignore the constitution when in court.

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DarthMims
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:25pm
How exactly do you “unintentionally” bring a gun to work and put it in the ceiling to keep it safe?

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- 1FreeVoice
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:34pm
  He said he doesn’t remember bringing it… could someone else have hidden a gun in the classroom? Do they know for certain it is his?
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:39pm
  It could be he unintentionally brought the gun in – /THEN/ hid it intentionally to keep it safe. Then forgot about it.
  
  Why he wouldn’t go back out and hide it under the seat of his car though.. strange.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:58pm
  “How exactly do you “unintentionally” bring a gun to work and put it in the ceiling to keep it safe?”
  
  Good question but this happens. Look at all the idiots that get caught with a loaded gun in their carry-on at airports.
  
  Report this comment
- DarthMims
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:17pm
  @EASTINFECTION
  I understand absent minded people forgeting a gun is in their bag, but how many of those people upon realizing they have a gun crawl up and stick it in the ceiling for safe keeping?
  
  Report this comment
Blivit
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 12:23pm
now that is a guy who needs to learn better gun control!

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