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Heartwarming photo shared of Utah officer, who responded to active shooter call at son’s junior high

Posted at 6:36 PM, Dec 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-02 00:07:04-05

CENTERVILLE, Utah — The Centerville Police Department shared a photo Sunday from two years ago of a police officer and his son, moments after he had responded to the son’s school on reports of an active shooter.

Chief Tom Ross of the Bountiful Police Department said in a press conference on Dec. 1, 2016, that a 15-year-old student fired one shot into the ceiling of a classroom, then pointed the firearm at his own neck.

The teen was disarmed by his parents, who police said realized he had stolen guns from them and taken them to Mueller Park Junior High.

“A teacher and a student in that room immediately engaged him verbally in trying to talk him out of doing this,” Chief Ross explained. “I believe those seconds played a big role in the outcome.”

Police responded to the incident and bodycam footage was later released, showing a 12-gauge shotgun and a 9mm handgun that the student had in his possession.

During the incident, a Centerville Police officer responded to the middle school, knowing that his son was inside, unsure of what had taken place.

“You can imagine what this officer was feeling as he was responding to the very school his son attended on an active shooter call,” the Centerville Police Department wrote. “We are so glad no one was hurt [that] day.”