A school janitor faces gun and drug charges after police reportedly found a loaded handgun and a small amount of marijuana on him in a school parking lot.
Officers arrested Richard Danz, 61, on Tuesday, outside Ben Davis University High School where he worked for four years. The school shares a building with a preschool and daycare as well. The arreest happened the day before children returned from winter break, but parents said the incident was still concerning.
"It's terrible," said LaDona Shuttz, who has two kids who attend the preschool and daycare. "If you're working in that kind of environment you've got to be careful and you can't subject kids of any age to any of that."
"It's alarming," said Terri Cupp, who picked a child up from the facility Wednesday. "I think it's alarming any time you hear about those situations especially on school property and school grounds."
An assistant principal notified school police about Danz Tuesday, after hearing a rumor that Danz had a handgun at school. The janitor told the officer he owned a gun and carried a permit, but denied having it at school. Police then searched his vehicle.
"It was during that process that the gun was discovered and the drugs were discovered as well," said Mary Lang with Wayne Township Schools.
Police arrested Danz on a misdemeanor drug charge and felony possession of a firearm on school property. New state law allows for gun permit holders to have their guns in their cars at work, but not if they work at a school or daycare.
"That's something that we make very clear to any employee who works here," Lang said. "Because it's something that we take so seriously, we acted very quickly yesterday when we heard the rumors that this might be the case."
The arrest came when school was not in session, and by the time students returned Wednesday, Danz was on unpaid suspension and ordered to stay clear of the facility.
"I don't know what Mr. Danz's thinking was, and I certainly don't know how often he might have had that gun with him," Lang said. "If there's anything to be grateful for here it's that he was apprehended when there weren't any students at school."
Lang said Wayne Township Schools did not notify parents about the incident because no students were in danger when the arrest took place Tuesday. It's a decision that's generating a mixed response among parents.
"It's kind of what goes on unfortunately and I think it could probably happen anywhere," Cupp said.
"Even though school wasn't in session yesterday, parents should have been notified instead of hearing about it on Facebook or a news channel," Shuutz said.
Lang said the Wayne Township School Board will ultimately decide whether or not to fire Danz during their next board meeting on Monday.
Officers arrested Richard Danz, 61, on Tuesday, outside Ben Davis University High School where he worked for four years. The school shares a building with a preschool and daycare as well. The arreest happened the day before children returned from winter break, but parents said the incident was still concerning.
"It's terrible," said LaDona Shuttz, who has two kids who attend the preschool and daycare. "If you're working in that kind of environment you've got to be careful and you can't subject kids of any age to any of that."
"It's alarming," said Terri Cupp, who picked a child up from the facility Wednesday. "I think it's alarming any time you hear about those situations especially on school property and school grounds."
An assistant principal notified school police about Danz Tuesday, after hearing a rumor that Danz had a handgun at school. The janitor told the officer he owned a gun and carried a permit, but denied having it at school. Police then searched his vehicle.
"It was during that process that the gun was discovered and the drugs were discovered as well," said Mary Lang with Wayne Township Schools.
Police arrested Danz on a misdemeanor drug charge and felony possession of a firearm on school property. New state law allows for gun permit holders to have their guns in their cars at work, but not if they work at a school or daycare.
"That's something that we make very clear to any employee who works here," Lang said. "Because it's something that we take so seriously, we acted very quickly yesterday when we heard the rumors that this might be the case."
The arrest came when school was not in session, and by the time students returned Wednesday, Danz was on unpaid suspension and ordered to stay clear of the facility.
"I don't know what Mr. Danz's thinking was, and I certainly don't know how often he might have had that gun with him," Lang said. "If there's anything to be grateful for here it's that he was apprehended when there weren't any students at school."
Lang said Wayne Township Schools did not notify parents about the incident because no students were in danger when the arrest took place Tuesday. It's a decision that's generating a mixed response among parents.
"It's kind of what goes on unfortunately and I think it could probably happen anywhere," Cupp said.
"Even though school wasn't in session yesterday, parents should have been notified instead of hearing about it on Facebook or a news channel," Shuutz said.
Lang said the Wayne Township School Board will ultimately decide whether or not to fire Danz during their next board meeting on Monday.