Staff Reports
Columbus police are continuing an investigation into why a local man was in the Central Middle School staff parking lot during the school day on Wednesday carrying two loaded concealed handguns.
Detectives have been assigned to the investigation into the apprehension of Michael K. Jones, 38, of 2612 Griffa Ave., who was arrested after being approached by CPD school resource officer Greg Ross and questioned about his presence in the middle school parking lot.
Ross saw Jones acting in what he believed to be a “suspicious” manner around vehicles in the staff parking lot and in a conversation with Jones, learned he was carrying the guns. Police have not released the type of handguns Jones was carrying but did say the weapons were loaded.
Investigators also do not know yet if the guns were registered to Jones, but said whether Jones is a registered gun owner is immaterial because it is illegal in Indiana to carry a loaded handgun on to school property at any time.
Columbus police said they had already increased patrols around Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. schools for the start of the fall semester, and with that have not added any additional patrols as a result of Wednesday’s incident.
Jones, who admitted to Ross that he had the concealed weapons on his person while in the parking lot, was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on a preliminary Level 6 felony charge of possession of a firearm on school property. Jones was being held without bond on a 48-hour hold at the jail while the investigation continues.
School officials believe Jones, who had a dog with him, entered the Central Middle School parking lot from Lafayette Avenue or Fifth Street, and a portion of that area is under camera surveillance.
The middle school was not locked down as the incident happened so quickly that the school resource officer had Jones was in custody before the lockdown could be implemented.
Columbus Police Chief Michael Richardson commended Ross for his swift action to question and detain Jones in the parking lot.
“This is just one example of why we have veteran law enforcement officers in our Columbus schools,” Richardson said. “By being proactive, rather than reactive, Officer Ross was able to investigate and confront a potential threat to student safety and arrest the suspect without incident.”
