Parents Express Concern After HS AD Leaves Unsecured Pistol Atop Car During Volleyball Game

Parents are expressing concerns after Mackinaw City (Mich.) Public Schools athletic director Elijah May left an unsecured gun on top of a car in the parking lot during a volleyball match.

“A vehicle had a firearm sitting on top of it,” the parent who found the gun 9 and 10 News, requesting to remain anonymous. “Nobody was around. I called 911 and they sent a police officer out to secure the weapon. I later learned that it was an employee of the school.”

The person who found the gun said it was concerning because there were a lot of people, including kids in the parking lot at the time. 

“A vehicle had a firearm sitting on top of it,” said the parent who found the gun. They asked to remain anonymous. “Nobody was around. I called 911 and they sent a police officer out to secure the weapon. I later learned that it was an employee of the school.”

The school has since said that athletic director Elijah May mistakenly left his pistol on top of his car after checking his deer blind earlier in the day. May is licensed to carry the weapon and was given a warning to use greater caution in the future. 

The man who found the gun isn't satisfied with that response. 

“We just want accountability. If I were to leave my firearm unattended someplace, I would expect there’d be some sort of repercussion,” he said, adding that he doesn't want May fired but does think teachers should be held to the same standard as students. 

“If you’re a gun owner, you need to be responsible. Our students’ safety is paramount, [and] it’s not just our students but everybody that goes to an event,” the parent said.

Parents have also expressed concerns over the school's lack of transparency, as a letter wasn't sent out notifying the community of the incident until a week later.