Officer suspended after gun discharged in school

Michael Cahill, Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal | USATODAY

HIGHLAND, N.Y. — A police officer has been suspended without pay as officials investigate an incident at a high school here in which his gun fired.

Sean McCutcheon, an officer in the Lloyd, N.Y., police department and a school resource officer for Highland Central School District, accidentally discharged his gun at 1:38 p.m. Tuesday in the hallway of Highland High School here, the school district and police said.

No information has been released on why the gun went off, and the department's investigation is continuing, Lt. James Janso said.

"He's suspended pending the investigation," which is standard protocol, Janso said. The officer's weapon, a Glock .45-caliber pistol, was taken as evidence.

Janso said the department is interviewing high school staff and keeping the Ulster County District Attorney's Office apprised of the probe.

No one was injured and no students or staff were nearby when the gun went off, according to a statement from the district.

Students and staff were notified quickly about what had happened and the school day went on normally. Parents were notified within 20 minutes of the incident via an automated phone call, school Superintendent Deborah Haab said.

McCutcheon is a part-time officer and the only school resource officer in the Highland school district. He rotates between the district's three schools. The district's school resource officer program, begun in wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., is on hold while the investigation is being conducted.

School police officer accidentally discharges gun A school district in Highland, N.Y., has put its resource officer program on hold after an officer’s gun accidentally discharged Tuesday in a high school here.

VIDEO: School officer accidentally discharges gun