Staff member at a Georgia primary school was fired and arrested after leaving a gun on school premises

A staff member in a primary school in Georgia lost her job and ended up being arrested following what appeared to be an unintentional incident this week. The member of staff left her purse, with a gun inside, in one of the school’s bathrooms.

On Wednesday night, Quandra Johnson had forgotten her purse in the staff restroom of the Oconee County Primary School, where it remained there overnight. On Thursday morning, before the children arrived at school, another member of the staff came upon the purse and handed it in to the front office.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office reports that a firearm was eventually located concealed inside the purse. Sheriff’s deputies secured the firearm and removed it from the school’s premises.

“We have no reason to believe that she had any intention of causing harm. As always, student and employee safety is our highest priority,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.

Johnson was arrested on charges of carrying a weapon within a school safety zone. She was also fired. Officials said she was not a teacher at the school.