MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 53-year-old father put a gun in his 8-year-old's backpack and sent him to Kendale Elementary School on Thursday, according to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Police Department.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesman John Schuster released a statement referring to the father's actions as irresponsible, abhorrent and reckless.
"It is extremely fortunate that this incident was handled quickly and safely, without any disruption to the school day," Schuster said in the statement.
Ramon Nuiry told police officers it was an unintentional mistake. He is accused of showing up to the school, at 10693 SW 93 St., in Kendall to pick up his son before dismissal and removing the gun from his backpack.
According to an arrest report, Nuiry went to the main office and asked employees to have his child come to the office with his book bag.
Police said another parent inside the office saw Nuiry remove the gun from his son's book bag and told a school employee. When officers arrested Nuiry, they found the gun and an illegal police scanner in his car, authorities said. They also had surveillance video that corroborated the witness' report.
According to the arrest report, Nuiry placed the gun into another bag he brought with him and left the school as his son returned to class.
Police said Nuiry was later taken into custody in front of the school during dismissal.
Police said a loaded, unchambered 9-millimeter Smith & Wesson handgun was found in the center console of his car.
Authorities said Nuiry provided a "full confession."
"I told my daughter in the morning and she said, 'Oh, I know,'" Jessica Colon, whose daughter is in the same class as Nuiry's son, said.
Colon said the boy never took the gun out of his bag.
"He just opened his book bag, he saw in the book bag, he said, "Oh,' (he) closed his book bag, and I guess in that time frame is when the father came," Colon said.
Parents told Local 10 News reporter Ian Margol that they received a robocall from the school informing them about the incident at about 9 p.m. Thursday.
"I actually had to listen to it twice, because I wasn't sure if it was my kid's school or was it a different school. So once I heard it, it was pretty disturbing," Jayaira Lopez said.
"It could have been a worse outcome," Colon said. "A whole lot of other things could have happened -- a whole lot of kids could have been hurt. It could have been a scary situation."
Nuiry was at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center early Friday, but he has since been released from jail. He faces charges of improper exhibition of a weapon on school property, weapons possession on school property and possession of a concealed firearm and police scanner in his car. The charges carried a $17,500 bond.