Michigan Daycare Gun Incident: Toddler Pulls Loaded Pistol From Backpack

A loaded pistol was pulled from a backpack by a toddler at a daycare in Canton, southeast Michigan, on Monday, with one of the child’s parents taken into custody as the investigation continues.

No one was injured in the incident, and daycare staff acted quickly after a teacher noticed the toddler with the weapon, according to AP. Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy praised the staff for intervening and ensuring the safety of the children at the facility.

The parent taken into custody is a police officer with a neighbouring jurisdiction, Bialy said during a news conference. The handgun was not the officer’s service weapon. AP reported that the investigation is continuing.

“I don’t think there was any ill intent by truly anyone involved,” he said. “I think it really falls back on safe security of a firearm, making sure that we know where our firearms are located, that they are not accessible to anyone.”

Bialy said he had watched video showing the child removing the gun from a backpack. He described the footage as “shocking” and said it was difficult to watch despite knowing how the incident ended.

The daycare already had several security measures in place, but it will now strengthen its protocols and begin searching all backpacks, Bialy said.

AP reported that a teacher or instructor was in the room throughout the incident and recognised what was happening before taking action to intervene. Bialy said the staff member’s response helped ensure that the other children remained safe.

“They had a representative, a teacher, instructor that was in that room the entire time, identified what was happening, and took swift action to intervene,” he said. “And had that not happened, I do not know where we would be right now or what kind of conversation I would be having.”

The investigation is continuing.