SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Lex Leonard is the proud parent of two students at Truman Elementary.

She says Thursday afternoon was stressful, to say the least.

"I work just down the street and from my job I watched an officer fly by, had no idea, did not assume it was my kids school. About 10 minutes later, I'm pulling up to the school to get my kids and I have a few different friends who have kids there who are messaging me about some things happening that there are cops there, but no one knows what's going on, but someone read something about a gun," Leonard said. "So we are all absolutely panicked. We are terrified that every parent's worst nightmare is what we were about to live through."

It was revealed later that a person in the school pick-up lane had accidentally shot themselves in the leg that afternoon.

"It's just unfathomable that one, someone had a gun on school premises and two, that it was anywhere accessible or that there was any chance that something could have gone wrong," Leonard said. "Honestly, it is a blessing that it only got him in the leg and it didn't go through the car and get a child or a teacher or anybody else."

She says she and other parents have frustrations about the school's response.

"I think the way that the school handled it was so inappropriate. I am grateful for our teachers. They were amazing, but I am very upset with the principal, the superintendent, and whoever made the judgment call to not lock our children down the moment a gun that the firearm was discharged," Leonard said. "[When the gun went off, that] very moment should have been when they locked down our kids. I am so frustrated that the teachers were not made aware until the man was taken away by ambulance. Our teachers should have been on the front line. They should have known first. They should have been able to be fully aware and protect our children."

Leonard says she won't name the teachers who allegedly told her they weren't made aware.

"I know that there are several [parents] who are furious with the way it's handled. I know there's tons of parents who also feel this way, and it takes a lot of trust to send your children to other people to care for them. I assumed that my children and all the other children's safety would be the first priority in an instance like this, and it wasn't. Truman dropped the ball," Leonard said. "I feel like it's standard for kids to go on lockdown, even if there's mention of a gun, but the fact that there was one and it had been discharged, there's no reason that they weren't put down on lockdown."

OzarksFirst reached out to Springfield Schools with questions about the decisions made Thursday.

They responded with a statement saying, "In follow-up to your question about a lockdown status, it is important to remind the public that we keep all exterior doors locked at Truman with a secure front entrance – just as we do at all SPS facilities.

When a situation arises like yesterday, we have emergency protocols that are put into place. Immediately upon notification of the incident yesterday, we received direction and guidance from emergency personnel and law enforcement. Additional measures that are in place to make our school safe include:

Teachers and staff have received training that they follow in the event of an emergency, which includes various responses depending upon the specifics of the situation.

Security film has been installed on all ground floor windows and doors of our school to help prevent anyone from gaining unauthorized entry into the building."

While SPS says any firearm is not allowed on school grounds, Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson says the man may not face any criminal action.

"Missouri law, specifically provides that while you typically can't take a firearm into a school without violating the unlawful use of a weapon statute, if you have it in your vehicle while you're picking up the child at a school, as long as it is not brandished and doesn't leave the vehicle, that is not a criminal offense by itself," Patterson said. "I think this incident is a great reminder of the great responsibility that comes with gun ownership and possession in terms of security and handling of a firearm, in terms of the law."

Leonard says she hopes the situation never happens again, but if it does, she wants it handled differently.

"You don't play with guns are not toys, you know, and the fact that it could have easily gone through the car and gotten someone that wasn't himself is not okay. Something should absolutely be done," Leonard said. "I know several parents who chose not to send their kids today and I don't blame them."

News Source : https://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/parent-frustrations-swell-after-truman-elementary-situation/