Marysville Police and Marysville Schools said there was no threat when an off-duty Pickerington Police officer was seen with a gun outside Mill Valley Elementary.
According to Deputy Police Chief Tony Brooks, police received a report at about 10 a.m. Thursday of a man carrying a rifle in front of Mill Valley Elementary School.
Marysville Police arrived on the scene and identified the man as Jarrid Daily, 38. He is a Pickerington Police officer and was off-duty and in the process of taking the gun into a neighboring residence.
He was in plain clothes except for a jacket that had the word “police” on it, and he was driving a civilian car.
“The Marysville Police Department quickly arrived on scene and were able to determine there was no threat,” wrote Marysville Schools Superintendent Diane Mankins said in an email to parents.
According to Mankins, lockdowns were implemented at Mill Valley Elementary, Northwood Elementary and Creekview Intermediate School.
“This individual should not have removed his weapon from the car parked on Mill Valley Elementary property,” Mankins wrote. “We appreciate the swift action and support from our local Marysville Police Department in this unusual situation.”
While Brooks didn’t get into specifics, he said something was going on at the residence that made him unable to park in the driveway.
“I’m not going into whose residence it was and why he was there,” Brooks said.
Brooks said Daily was within his right to carry a gun in public, though said in hindsight it “clearly wasn’t the best decision.”
“I’m not going to say it was wise or not wise,” Brooks said.
Brooks said Marysville officers do have policies and procedures regarding gun usage, but reiterated that Daily didn’t commit any crime.
“We consulted with some prosecutors and there wasn’t a violation of law in their opinion,” Brooks said. “He was well within his right to do that.”
Brooks said the situation went as smoothly as it could have. He said both the school and officers handled it well.
The Journal-Tribune contacted the Pickerington Police Department for comment, but officials were unable to respond by press time.