Parkland teacher arrested for leaving loaded gun in a public bathroom: report

The Parkland, Fla., teacher who volunteered to carry a gun in school after the deadly Feb. 14 massacre was arrested Sunday for leaving his loaded gun in a public bathroom, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

Sean Simpson, a chemistry teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, left his loaded Glock 9 mm in the bathroom of a Deerfield Beach Pier on Sunday, the the Herald stated stated, citing a Broward County Sheriff’s Office report.

Simpson said he left the gun by mistake and that when he went back for it, Joseph Spataro, described as a vagrant according to the sheriff’s report cited by the Herald, had already found it and fired it.

{mosads} Spataro was charged with firing a weapon while intoxicated and trespassing.

Simpson was arrested and charged with failing to safely store a firearm. He posted a $250 cash bond and was released, the Herald reported.

The teacher had said following the massacre that killed 17 students and educators that he would be willing to arm himself while on duty.

The subject of arming teachers became a nationwide debate following the shooting.

On Tuesday, the Broward County Public School board official decided not to arm teachers following the $67 million state bill passed in February that would allow it.

President Trump has been a vocal supporter of arming teachers and unveiled a school safety proposal in March that included the move.

Parkland students and other teachers who survived the shooting have called Trump’s proposal a “terrible idea.”