A Columbus man is facing a felony charge after city police say he was arrested Wednesday with a machete, a Glock-branded BB gun and a hatchet while picking up his child at a middle school.
Bryan Eugene Johnson, 43, is charged with illegaly conveyance of a deadly weapon in a school zone, which is a fifth-degree felony. He is expected to appear in court Thursday.
Police responded at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday to Westmoor Middle School at 3001 Valleyview Drive on a report from staff that a man had entered the school with what appeared to be a handgun holstered on his hip and a machete attached to his leg. The caller said the man was at the school to pick up his child, a student at the school.
A Columbus City school safety and security specialist directed the parent away from the building to his car, and arriving city police officers detained him as they determined what had happened. Police report a machete, hatchet and Glock-branded BB gun were recovered from Johnson’s car.
Columbus City Schools did not immediately respond Wednesday to a Dispatch request for comment, but issued a statement stating, “Our students’ and staff’s safety and well-being is our utmost priority.”
The security level at Westmoor Middle School was increased as a precaution during the incident, the district said, and an “all-clear” provided by police just before 3 p.m. allowed for dismissal of students for the day.
Columbus City Schools leases AI-equipped gun detection sensors at its high schools as part of a four-year, $3 million contract. Students at randomly chosen schools are also screened with metal detector wands throughout the week.
bagallion@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Parent arrested at Columbus school with machete, BB gun, hatchet