VERNON — The Jennings County prosecutor on Friday filed a criminal charge against a man who is accused of taking a gun into the North Vernon Elementary School office more than a week ago.
Jennings County Prosecutor Brian Belding charged Eric E. Smith, 47, of North Vernon, with a Level 6 felony count of possession of a firearm on school property. Earlier Friday, he said no charging determination had been made.
Online court records show Belding filed a promise to appear from Smith, and an initial hearing was scheduled for March 2 in Jennings Circuit Court.
Smith was arrested Feb. 2 after police said he entered the school’s main office carrying a loaded firearm. North Vernon police reported that Smith had been arrested after he went to the school and asked people in the office about the policy about bringing guns into school. Smith then showed them he had a handgun on his person.
Staff members then escorted Smith outside and notified Jennings Schools School Resource Officer Matt Staples, who placed Smith under arrest, police said. Smith did not get near any students, according to school staff.
Staples and Detective Wes Thayer interviewed Smith and his spouse separately at the North Vernon Police Department where they learned that Smith had made a statement two weeks earlier to his spouse that he was thinking about taking a gun to the school and addressing it with staff members, police said.
Smith gave a verbal confirmation that he had the discussion approximately two weeks prior, and that he was told by his wife that it was a bad idea.
ORIGINAL STORY
VERNON — The Jennings County prosecutor said Friday he was uncertain whether he will file criminal charges against a man who is accused of taking a gun into the North Vernon Elementary School office more than a week ago.
Jennings County Prosecutor Brian Belding said he had not made a charging determination in the case of Eric E. Smith, 47, of North Vernon. Smith was arrested Feb. 2 after police said he entered the school’s main office carrying a loaded firearm, according to investigators.
Eric Smith
“At this point I can’t say I’m going to file charges or not file charges,” Belding said Friday morning, noting he had not received a completed police report. A North Vernon police official told The Republic on Thursday morning that a report had been furnished to the prosecutor’s office.
State law says anyone other than a law enforcement officer or qualified person who knowingly or intentionally possesses a firearm on school property commits a Level 6 felony punishable by up to 2½ years in jail.
“I don’t think there’s any question he had a firearm on school property,” Belding said of Smith. “We have to determine why he had a firearm, and I don’t know what his intent was.”
However, Belding acknowledged that the law provides no exceptions based on a person’s intent.
North Vernon police reported on Feb. 2 that Smith had been arrested after he went to the school and asked people in the office about the policy about bringing guns into school. Smith then showed them he had a handgun on his person.
Staff members then escorted Smith outside and notified Jennings Schools School Resource Officer Matt Staples, who placed Smith under arrest, police said. Smith did not get near any students, according to school staff.
Staples and Detective Wes Thayer interviewed Smith and his spouse separately at the North Vernon Police Department where they learned that Smith had made a statement two weeks earlier to his spouse that he was thinking about taking a gun to the school and addressing it with staff members, police said.
Smith gave a verbal confirmation that he had the discussion approximately two weeks prior, and that he was told by his wife that it was a bad idea.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
