A 17-year-old student of Parkview High School in Springfield has been charged with unlawful use of a weapon for possessing an unloaded firearm on school premises.
Brandon Smith is said to have brought the unloaded gun onto campus Monday, a class A misdemeanor. Under Missouri law, possession of a loaded gun on school property is a felony offense.
Smith’s possession of the weapon came to the attention of Springfield Public School Resource Officer Rodney Williamson after a student reported threats made by Smith through social media. The name of the other student was not provided.
A probable cause statement by Williamson states that Smith had invited the juvenile on Facebook “to play 5-shot Russian roulette and posted two pictures of a revolver with five rounds in the cylinder.” Another posts also says Smith had bragged about going to jail, and “did not mind going back.”
Williamson was also told by the other boy that Smith was believed to have come by his home last Tuesday evening and fired a handgun at the house. On Monday, according to the juvenile, Smith had reportedly “followed him all over the building.”
When Smith was escorted out of class by Williamson, Smith told the officer that he "had been having issues with the juvenile because he was currently dating the juvenile’s girlfriend.” Smith denied firing a shot at the boy's home.
Williamson received permission to search Smith’s backpack and car.
In the backpack, the officer found a live .22 long rifle round and a spent buck shell, the statement reads. According to Smith, he'd been to his grandfather's house in Bolivar and they always took a Ruger SR22 in his backpack. A Ruger SR22 handgun was also found in Smith’s car. Documents list numerous live rounds as well as spent shell casings located inside the vehicle as well.
Smith bail was set at $5,000 bond.