Christopher Freeman will be on house arrest following an incident at Bear Lakes Middle School.

WEST PALM BEACH — A 27-year-old father who went to Bear Lakes Middle School with a loaded assault rifle last month was sentenced to nearly a year of house arrest, according to court records.

Christopher Freeman of suburban West Palm Beach pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a weapon on school property March 29, according to his plea agreement. Freeman originally was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and disruption of a school function, but prosecutors did not file those charges.

Palm Beach County School District police say Freeman, who uses a wheelchair, came to the West Palm Beach-area school after his son FaceTimed him in tears. While talking to him during the video call, his son told Freeman that a teacher had "slammed him." While they spoke, Freeman said he watched an adult grab his son and then the phone call ended.

The 27-year-old arrived at the school and asked to speak with the person who put their hands on his son, according to school police. An officer noticed the gun sticking out of his pants and ordered the school to be put on lockdown. Freeman said he keeps the AK-47 Mini Draco for protection and never intended to hurt anyone at the school.

In a robocall sent out to Bear Lakes families, Principal Kirk Howell said "the parent never brandished the gun or threatened the office staff with it at any time."

Three days before Freeman took the plea deal, Circuit Judge Dina Keever-Agrama approved the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office risk-protection order request, barring Freeman from accessing weapons until March 26, 2020.

Since the state's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act law went into effect last year, there have been more than 30 risk-protection orders filed in Palm Beach County, including Freeman's.

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This story originally published to palmbeachpost.com, and was shared to other Florida newspapers in the GateHouse Media network.