School Teacher Dennis Alexander Accidentally Fired Gun In Classroom, Injuring 3 Students

A Seaside High School teacher, who also served as a reserve police officer and a city councilman in Seaside, California, accidentally fired a gun inside the classroom, injuring three students Tuesday.

The incident occurred at 1:20 p.m. local time (4:20 p.m. EDT) when Dennis Alexander was conducting Administration of Justice class and teaching the students about gun safety. Most of the students attending the class were between the ages of 16 and 17 years, the Californian reported.

According to Abdul Pridgen, chief of the Seaside Police Department, Alexander was pointing the firearm at the ceiling when he inadvertently fired it. Some of the bullet fragments ricocheted off the ceiling and pieces of concrete fell to the ground, causing three of the students to suffer “minor injuries.”

One of the three sustained injuries to the neck by either flying bullet fragments or the debris falling from the ceiling. He was admitted to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula by the student’s father, Fermin Gonzales.

"He's shaken up, but he's going to be OK," Gonzales told NBC-affiliated KSBW about his son who came back home with blood on shirt and neck. "I'm just pretty upset that no one told us anything and we had to call the police ourselves to report it."

Gonzales said Alexander apologized to the class for mistakenly firing his gun, however, none of the school authorities checked up on all the students post-incident to make sure they were not hurt. Scheduled classes resumed shortly after the incident.

"It's the craziest thing. It could have been very bad," Gonzales said. Apparently, Alexander was pointing the gun at the ceiling to make sure it was not loaded when it went off.

As the police investigate the incident, Alexander has been temporarily suspended by the school.

“The teacher has been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the on-going investigation. The safety of your student is always our top priority, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to keep them safe while they are under our care,” the Superintendent's Office wrote in a letter to the parents of the students.

It was not clear if the he was placed on a paid or unpaid leave.

Teachers in California are not allowed to carry firearms inside the class, even if they have a carry permit for concealed weapons.

"I have concerns about why he was displaying a loaded firearm in a classroom. We will be looking into that,” Sand City Police Chief Brian Ferrante said.

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent P.K. Diffenbaugh echoed Ferrante’s thoughts. "I think a lot of questions on parents' minds are, why a teacher would be pointing a loaded firearm at the ceiling in front of students," Diffenbaugh said. "Clearly in this incident protocols were not followed."

However, Marci McFadden, chief of communication and engagement with the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, said Monterey school district's policy does make an exception for school resource officers when it comes to carrying guns and other weapons on campus.

Alexander had been a reserve Sand City police officer for 11 years. His track record was described as "positive and professional" and he was also made the 2013 Reserve Office of the Year.

The incident occurred amid nation-wide debate on whether teachers should be allowed to carry firearms for the better protection of students, in the wake of Florida School shooting last month. President Donald Trump has propagated the idea of arming teachers with guns. He tweeted in the recent past: