An arraignment was held Friday morning for a parent in the Pinckney Community Schools District who brought a concealed weapon into a school and dropped it in front of students.
Robert Ray Berger, 44, was charged with a single count of possessing a weapon in a weapon free school zone following the March 17th incident at Navigator School in Pinckney.
According to district officials, Berger, a parent who is considered to be a “well-known, active and engaged volunteer…innocently forgot to leave his holstered gun in his vehicle prior to entering the building” during lunch/recess and while engaging with students in the gym, the holster fell off the his belt and landed on the floor.
After Berger, who has a valid CPL (Concealed Pistol License), placed the weapon back in his car, the school’s resource officer was contacted as well as Superintendent Rick Todd and Navigator Principal Ruth Badalucco. A report was then filed following an investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office.
Michigan law says CPL holders can carry a weapon onto school grounds as long as that gun stays visible, otherwise it is fully prohibited from being carried in a concealed, or hidden, way. However, a decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals, gives school districts the right to ban guns whether they are carried openly or concealed.
A pretrial hearing was scheduled for May 8th in front of 53rd District Court Judge Daniel Bain.
If convicted, Berger faces up to 93 days in jail, 100 hours of community service and a fine of up to $2,000.00.
