Minneapolis school employee charged after student finds bag with loaded guns

Sep 08, 2023

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Minneapolis Police car

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis elementary school staff member faces felony charges after a student discovered two loaded firearms in the school.

Hennepin County prosecutors charged Derrick Lee Lind, 20, with possession of a dangerous weapon on school property, negligent storage of loaded firearms, and carrying a firearm in a public place without a permit.

According to court records, Minneapolis police officers responded to a call on April 23 at Loring Elementary School after a student found a bag left on a table with two guns inside. Authorities said one of the handguns was reportedly stolen, and the other had an auto sear switch attached to it. Both guns were loaded with a round in the chamber.

Investigators looked at the school's surveillance videos, which showed Lind getting out of his car with a black bag that matched the one left inside the school. He was seen walking around the school with the bag around his shoulder. He was not near the bag when the student found it, according to the charges.

Lind allegedly acknowledged to a staff member that the bag was his, and he didn't want to leave it in the car because it didn't lock. The staff member told Lind he needed to leave since he wasn't allowed to bring guns into the school, and he became upset and "trashed the room" before exiting the school.

Lind was charged via warrant and is now in custody at Hennepin County Jail. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

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