Substitute teacher’s gun goes off in Blount County classroom

BLOUNT COUNTY, AL (WBRC) - 74-year-old Henry Rex Weaver has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. But Friday, he carried to the wrong place.

“A substitute teacher had illegally carried a firearm in his pocket into school today at Blountsville Elementary,” says Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon.

Sheriff Mark Moon says the gun accidentally fired while in Weaver’s pocket. It happened just after 12:30 this afternoon as Weaver was teaching a first-grade class.

“When it did, it shot through his pants into the floor, and when it went into the floor of course, it caused the tile in the floor to shatter,” says Moon.

Luckily, the bullet stayed in the ground and did not ricochet. One student had very minor injuries, just a few scratches, and was treated by a school nurse.

Blount County School Superintendent Rodney Green says Weaver had been a substitute with the district for at least three years. He says Weaver went to school officials and told them it was his gun that went off. That’s when they called the Sheriff’s office.

Weaver has been charged with possession of a deadly weapon on school grounds, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault in the third degree.

Parents were notified by school officials quickly after it was determined that there were no serious injuries. Weaver’s bond was set at $3,000. He is likely to go before a judge on May 7.

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