Felon arrested at school after gun spotted

HOT SPRINGS — A convicted felon was taken into custody Thursday while having lunch with his child on the Lakeside campus after a gun was found in his car, according to Hot Springs police and Lakeside School District officials.

A news release from the Police Department said Lakeside Intermediate School contacted the school resource officer at 10:58 a.m. Thursday in reference to a parent in the lunchroom who was wearing a holster.

Officers contacted Dwight Grantham, 46, of Hot Springs, and noted he had an empty holster.

Shawn Cook, superintendent of Lakeside School District, said that when the school resource officer was with Grantham, he saw the holster was empty. Cook said Grantham was cooperative and told the officer he had a gun in his vehicle, which the Police Department noted was in plain sight.

“The law does allow for an adult to have a gun in their car on a school campus, but only if they have a concealed carry,” Cook said. “If they don’t have that license, they’re not supposed to have it on campus.

“He was very cooperative, and there was never a threat.”

Grantham is a convicted felon and is not permitted to be in possession of a firearm, the release said. He has been charged with felony counts of possession of a firearm on school property and possession of a firearm by certain persons, each punishable by up to six years in prison.

Grantham was being held at the Garland County jail in lieu of a $5,000 bond.

According to court records, Grantham was previously convicted of a felony count of possession of a counterfeit controlled substance, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, on May 21, 2007, in Pulaski County, and sentenced to three years’ probation.