An arraignment was held Friday morning for a parent in the Pinckney Community Schools District who brought a concealed weapon into a school and dropped it in front of students.
Robert Ray Berger, 44, was charged with a single count of possessing a weapon in a weapon free school zone following the March 17 incident at Navigator Upper Elementary in Pinckney.
According to district officials, Berger, a parent considered to be a “well-known, active and engaged volunteer …innocently forgot to leave his holstered gun in his vehicle prior to entering the building” during lunch/recess and while engaging with students in the gym. The holster fell off his belt and landed on the floor.
Berger, who has a valid Concealed Pistol License, placed the weapon back in his car. The school’s resource officer was contacted as well as Superintendent Rick Todd and Navigator Principal Ruth Badalucco. A report was filed following an investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office.
Michigan law says CPL holders can carry a weapon onto school grounds as long as that gun stays visible, otherwise it’s fully prohibited from being carried in a concealed, or hidden, way. However, a decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals gives school districts the right to ban guns whether they’re carried openly or concealed.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for May 8 in front of 53rd District Court Judge Daniel Bain.
If convicted, Berger faces up to 93 days in jail, 100 hours of community service and a fine of up to $2,000.