Teacher’s aide from Orange fired for bringing gun to school
An Orange County woman who works as a teacher’s aide at the Jesse J. Kaplan School in West Nyack was arrested for bringing a loaded gun to the school, authorities said. The school, in Rockland County, serves an autistic student body ages 5 to 21.
Police said the 9mm handgun was discovered in the handbag owned by Gillian Jeffords, 24, of Warwick, who has been working for Rockland County BOCES since last September. She was charged with the felony of criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds.
She was fired on Friday, according to News12 Hudson Valley, after initially being suspended.
Clarkstown Police Officer Peter Walker said Jeffords has a full-carry permit issued in Orange County, as well as one issued in Pennsylvania.
“At no point was this weapon used in a threatening manner or at no point was this weapon displayed,” Walker said. “The teacher’s aide was removed from the school and transported to police headquarters for further investigation.”
Police did not say why Jeffords brought the weapon to school.
Detective Lt. Glenn Dietrich said, “As a gun owner with a permit, you should know what you can and cannot do, that it is against the law to carry a firearm on school grounds, regardless of whether you have a license.”
Jeffords’ gun permits were confiscated and will be subject to review by a judge.
As soon as the weapon was discovered, the school principal was notified, the school was placed in lockdown and police were called. All of the students were put on buses to remove them from the building, and administrators assured parents that, at no time, were the young people in harm’s way.
Jeffords was released from custody and is due to appear in court May 7.