Seth Smith

Provided

A Lexington County School District 1 teacher is on administrative leave after leaving a handgun in a classroom.

On Sept. 1, Seth Smith, a teacher at Midway Elementary, was placed on leave and taken into custody by the Lexington County Sheriff's Department after an unloaded handgun was found in a box of supplies brought in the previous day, the district announced.

Midway Elementary is located just north of the Town of Lexington near Lake Murray.

Smith is being charged with possession of a firearm on school property, according to the sheriff’s department.

He is listed on the Midway Elementary website as being part of the music department, though his bio is listed as “coming soon” and the grades and classes he taught aren’t specified. 

According to a statement provided by District 1, another employee found the weapon before school started Sept. 1 and immediately notified a school administrator, which a provided incident report identifies as Assistant Principal Chris Bussell. The administrator then secured the weapon until it could be turned over to the school’s resource officer.

“Smith admitted to bringing the pistol to the school when he was storing boxes that he had brought from home Thursday,” Sheriff Jay Koon is quoted in a release. “He found the pistol inside one of the boxes and set it to the side to take back home but then forgot and left the firearm at the school overnight.”

According to the incident report, the gun was in a gray pistol box with the name “Rugers” on it.

The district’s director of safety, Christopher Ellisor, responded to the school after being made aware of the situation, the district said.

“While the investigation continues, there is limited information that can be shared but please know that school and district administrators are working with law enforcement to fully investigate and respond to the incident following state law, board policy and district procedures,” Midway Principal Tim Carnahan writes in an email to parents that was provided to the Chronicle.

“Nothing is more important to us than making sure our campus is safe for your children, our employees and all of our MES families.”

According to the sheriff’s department, Smith was taken to the Lexington County Detention Center following his arrest.

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.