The Duval County Public Schools Board voted to fire a school safety officer after he pointed what’s been described as a realistic firearm at the head of a Ribault High School junior with special needs.
Tuesday evening, the School Board approved the employment termination of Joshua Gwynes, 31, for “misconduct,” according to WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union.
“Your conduct as an employee of Duval County Public Schools has been deemed unacceptable and requires formal administrative action recommending termination of your employment,” a notice of action sent to Gwynes in late October said.
The incident that cost Gwynes his job took place on April 30. According to the notice of action obtained by the Times-Union, Gwynes allegedly pointed a “realistic replica firearm” at a student’s head.
Gwynes was the first school safety officer to respond to a call about a student with a firearm at the school. But before he even made it to the room, another officer and school administrator determined that the gun was fake, the notice said.
An expanded version of this story is at Jacksonville.com.
