CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — A 68-year-old Florida resident is facing charges after a 9-year-old child accidentally fired a gun at school.
Phillip McRay Bright was apprehended on May 9.
On April 10, at 10:24 am, the child fired the weapon, a .357 revolver, during class at Billingsley Elementary School as they were reaching into their backpack to get a paper.
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At the time of the shooting, the bag was in the student's lap.
There were no injuries.
According to authorities, Bright, a relative of the student, was in town visiting family.
The school resource officer later learned that before April 5, Bright was preparing to take the child to school.
Bright told police that he believes that the child got in the vehicle before he did, opened the console to look for candy, saw the gun and removed it, placing it in their backpack.
He also said he didn't realize the gun was gone until April 5, after which he reported it missing to the Prince George's County Police Department.
Bright didn't know the student had the gun until the discharging occurred at Billingsley.
After reviewing the case, the State's Attorney's Office charged Bright with two counts of wearing, carrying, or transporting a loaded handgun in a vehicle; storing a loaded firearm in a location accessible to a minor; and contributing to the conditions of a child's delinquency.
