The grandfather of a 9-year-old student who brought a gun to Billingsley Elementary School in Charles County, Maryland—where it accidentally discharged in a classroom—has been charged, according to officials.
Investigators with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office identified the weapon as belonging to 68-year-old Phillip Bright of Crestview, Florida. Fortunately, no one was injured when the firearm went off on April 10.
Bright told authorities he realized his gun was missing from the console of his vehicle on April 5 and later reported it stolen to Prince George’s County police after a visit to a Hillcrest Heights car wash.
Upon reflection, Bright told investigators he now believes his grandchild may have taken the firearm earlier that week while getting into his vehicle, possibly while searching the console for candy.
The gun’s whereabouts remained unknown until it discharged inside the school.
Bright is now facing multiple charges, including illegally carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle, failing to safely store a loaded firearm where it could be accessed by a minor, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
