Gun left in high school bathroom by off-duty cop on Long Island: SCPD

MANORVILLE, Long Island (PIX11) -- Elizabeth, reacting Tuesday in front of the Junior-Senior high school in Manorville to the location of a custodian’s shocking discovery, Monday evening - of a handgun in one of the school’s bathrooms.

The Suffolk County Police quickly released a short statement Tuesday:

The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating an incident during which an off-duty member of the department inadvertently left his off-duty weapon in a school bathroom.”

“In the bathroom?! What is an off-duty officer doing in the school?” said a resident named Elizabeth.

The school district superintendent – answered that question in a more detailed letter sent to parents:

“…a member of our custodial crew found a handgun in a lavatory and immediately notified building security, who worked with the administration to enact an emergency protocol procedure.”

The superintendent also confirms the gun belongs to an off-duty officer:

“…who is a parent that used the bathroom shortly before the time and had inadvertently left it behind. This information was determined quickly, as the off-duty officer was still in the building, in the very near vicinity of the lavatory. The off-duty officer returned to the restroom area and shared the information with our security officers.”

Suffolk County police officials would not identify the officer.

But Suffolk County PBA union officials told PIX11 News the officer is a 23-year department veteran, a U.S. Marine veteran, and a school board member who coaches - and has kids in the district.

Still – the residents PIX11 News met are not giving the off-duty cop a pass.

“No. Not acceptable. Not with children in today’s day and age. Absolutely not,” said Elizabeth.

Christina, another resident, drove by the school.

“You have to be careful if you’re a cop. You have to be trained on how to carry your gun," Christina said.

If there is any positive to this story – it’s that this gun was not found by a student during school hours. The internal affairs investigation, again, continues.