GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The 9-year-old who brought a loaded gun to Stocking Elementary School last month told another student that the gun was intended to shoot one of their classmates, according to court documents obtained by FOX 17.
We’re told the student in question informed other students of their intentions, prompting reports to staff members.
Investigators later discovered the gun was stolen out of Norton Shores, documents say.
Last week, the child’s father was taken into custody following an hours-long standoff in Grand Rapids.
READ MORE: Standoff ends, suspect in custody in connection to loaded gun brought to GRPS elementary school
The father has since been identified as Jaquon Tucker. He faces one count of fourth-degree child abuse and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Tucker was previously convicted on a number of weapons charges in Muskegon and Muskegon Heights four years ago, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Tucker reportedly failed to bring his child to the Grand Rapids Police Department in spite of agreeing to do so on May 11, the day after the gun was seized. A week later, a case worker for Child Protective Services (CPS) interviewed the student. We’re told the student lied about the handgun out of fear their father would be imprisoned.
The student also reportedly stated the father told them not to bring up the handgun the night before the CPS interview.
The courts say the student denied making threats, adding they never saw the gun because it was always inside the backpack. The child reportedly claims they took the wrong backpack while in a hurry to get to school, saying the gun was inside a backpack they hadn’t used since December.
One of the student’s classmates was interviewed on May 22, who reportedly said the student showed him and their friend the gun and that it would be used to shoot a classmate who previously threatened to shoot them with a BB gun.
The other friend told investigators on May 24 the student informed them about the gun saying they had taken the wrong backpack to school, documents explain. The same friend denied hearing the student say anything about hurting anyone, adding they did not know the gun would be taken to school that day.
Documents say on May 25, Tucker called the student’s mother saying, “The little incident with my gun, that’s the last thing they need to be worried about” while discussing the city’s high crime rate.
READ MORE: Backpacks banned from GRPS after loaded gun found on 3rd grader
READ MORE: AG, GRPS officials meet to talk district safety plan, safe storage laws
