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Anti-gun hysteria found its way to East Manatee, Fla., on Thursday when a school was locked down because a history teacher brought a replica of a Civil War rifle — that does not work — to class.
Braden River Elementary School and Middle School locked down after somebody saw the teacher with a replica of a flintlock rifle and called 911, EAGNews reported. The gun cannot shoot and has a musket.
“All clear Braden River Middle School,” the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office tweeted after the incident. “Turned out to be a teacher with antique rifle for class. Kudos to public for see something say something.”
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Middle school principal Randy Petrilla said the incident was a misunderstanding.
“A teacher at our school brought in a Civil War era rifle for a demonstration in their class,” Petrilla told the Bradenton Herald newspaper. “This teacher had previously notified the school [resource officer] that he would be bringing the rifle to school. As he was bringing the rifle into the school this morning, someone saw him and reported it to law enforcement.”
Petrilla continued, “Law enforcement responded immediately and began searching the school and during that process it was established that the alleged threat was actually related to the teacher with the rifle.”
Parents were split on the incident. Some said that common sense was needed, while others said it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“In 1966 the Cadet Training Rifle was big,” Bill Gage wrote on Facebook. “Bolt action with wooden bullet. We’d bring our realistic looking wooden M1 to school and play ‘war’ at recess. Times have changed.”
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