By Rajwa Quasim
A potential tragedy at a Michigan daycare was averted Monday after a toddler pulled a loaded handgun from a backpack. Police are investigating the incident and have taken one of the child’s parents into custody for questioning.
The incident happened at Children’s World Early Learning Center in Canton Township, southeastern Michigan. Police said officers responded after receiving a report that a toddler had a loaded firearm inside the daycare. No one was injured in the incident.
According to police, the gun was inside a holster in the child’s backpack. The teacher in the classroom noticed the weapon and quickly secured the firearm. Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy praised the daycare employee for reacting quickly and preventing the situation from escalating.
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Bialy said the center already had security measures in place, including an instructor present in the classroom. He said security measures would be further improved and that firearm owners should ensure that weapons are stored securely and remain inaccessible to children.
Bialy also said he believed there was no ill intent involved. He added that he was “shocked” while reviewing footage of the incident.
Canton police said, “our officers responded quickly, secured the weapon and immediately started an investigation.”
One of the child’s parents, who is reportedly a police officer in a neighboring jurisdiction, was taken into custody for questioning. It remains unclear how the toddler gained access to the firearm.
Bialy said the handgun was not a service weapon.
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The daycare issued a statement saying, “We pride ourselves on being one of the safest centers in the Canton area. It is our priority. Although this incident was out of our control, we are very proud of our staff and especially the teacher who responded so quickly. It was an unfortunate incident. No one was hurt and all safety measures were followed. Because of our attention to safety and our strict adherence to protocols, we avoided what could have been a tragedy.”
The incident remains under investigation, and police have not provided further details about how the firearm came to be inside the child’s backpack or how the toddler accessed it.