WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — The man being monitored by school and law enforcement after he has continually been seen walking by a West Valley City school bus stop with a rifle says he is simply exercising his rights as an American.
Parents have raised concerns to the Granite School District and West Valley City police after seeing Michael Cauley around the bus stop for Diamond Ridge Elementary School with a rifle hanging from his shoulder.
One parent added that Cauley often yells and screams at people as they wait for the bus.
"They’re scared," said parent Sophia Bordinko of the children. "They’re scared to come to our public park in the neighborhood, they’re scared to go to the bus stop because they see someone parading around with a big gun strapped across their chest as well as a sidearm."
Early Friday, Cauley was once again near the bus stop on what he calls a "patriot walk," although he was not openly carrying a weapon. He says his firearms are not loaded when he walks and that he has told police he would no longer take walks during times when children were at the stop.
"What I do with my walks has nothing to do with the children, has nothing to do with anybody, but my rights as American," he said. "We have freedoms and rights in this country, and when you don’t use your rights, they're like muscles, we lose our rights."
Cauley said he understands that being seen on his walks with multiple weapons has upset children and parents, and he apologized Friday.
"It was not my intent whatsoever," he said.
On Wednesday, the district informed parents that they were aware of Cauley's actions.
"At one of the bus stops on our school’s routes, an individual was seen openly carrying a firearm," the school's principal, Darren Johnson, told parents. "West Valley Police Department was notified and spoke with the individual this morning. Parents have reported this individual regularly goes on 'patriot walks,' where he is seen carrying a flag and a weapon, both are within his constitutional rights to do so."
The school has extra patrols in the area when buses use the stop, and the district said it will take "appropriate action" should anything happen. The district added that it has not yet deployed extra resources to the area and said school officials are currently handling safety measures.
Another parent told FOX 13 News that they no longer send their children to that bus stop because they are afraid of Caule.
While the district originally claimed it had not received any reports regarding students who were upset about the situation, a spokesperson clarified that Friday, saying that several students were upset and an administrator rode the bus the last two days.
Cauley claims his issues now are with his neighbors who have reported his actions without understanding the meaning behind his walks.
"I'm a good parent, I'm a good father, I'm a good husband and I'd love to be a good part of this community," he said.
The West Valley City Police Department acknowledged that is aware of the situation, and also relayed that the man "is within his constitutional rights" to openly carry the rifle and "has not broken any laws."
