COLUMBUS, Ind — Investigators have determined the suspect accused of acting strangely in Central Middle School’s staff parking lot during the school day was carrying two loaded 9mm Ruger handguns in the small of his back in an improvised gunbelt.
Columbus Police Department School Resource Officer Greg Ross questioned Michael K. Jones, 38, of 2612 Griffa Ave., at about 11:15 a.m. Aug. 19 before taking him into custody when Jones admitted to carrying the concealed weapons when questioned by the officer.
No one was injured in the incident, although the probable cause affidavit indicates Jones at one point talked with Central Middle School students eating lunch outside about his dog that was with him.
A probable cause affidavit and court documents indicate that in addition to the handguns found on Jones, officers later also found a 9mm Springfield XD pistol in Jones’ 2013 Nissan which was parked in the 600 block of Washington Street. The pistol was unloaded but police found a pistol magazine with bullets inside it, the affidavit states.
Additionally, two Columbus police detectives sent to Jones’ home located an AR-15 style rifle which was also confiscated as part of the investigation, the affidavit states.
When the incident began, Ross went to talk to Jones after observing him leading a dog to two vehicles parked near where students were located eating lunch outside the school at 725 Seventh St. and taking his dog around the vehicles similar to how a police canine would search a vehicle for drugs, the affidavit states. As Jones moved to other vehicles west in the lot, Ross made contact with him and asked him what he was doing. Jones said he was “using the K9 to detect drugs in the vehicles,” the affidavit states.
At that time, Ross became concerned that Jones might be on narcotics or off prescribed medications, and after identifying him through police dispatch, determined that Jones had a valid Indiana firearms permit to carry a concealed weapon, the affidavit states. At that time, when asked, Jones told Ross he did have a firearm, and Ross took the two loaded pistols, with each having a bullet in the chamber, along with two additional magazines for them that were found on Jones’ person, the affidavit states.
Jones was arrested on a Level 6 felony charge of possessing a firearm on school property and taken to the Bartholomew County Jail.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
