FISHERS, Ind. — Parents at a Hamilton Southeastern elementary school are concerned after learning a staff member allegedly brought a weapon into the school.
On Tuesday, March 5, police were called to Hoosier Road Elementary School, near East 121st Street and Hoosier Road in Fishers, after someone reported that a food services staff member brought a concealed firearm onto school property.
In a statement March 6, the department said 22-year-old Jovara Ofoia, of Fishers, allegedly told a witness she had a handgun in her purse and not to tell anyone because she knew it was a felony.
Officers found the gun in her purse in her unsecured office. Ofoia allegedly told police she had a gun because she works at the Texas Roadhouse on the east side of Indianapolis that was "shot up" over the weekend and was afraid.
Ofoia was taken into custody without incident and arrested on a preliminary charge of possession of a firearm on school property. The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office will make final charging decisions in the case.
The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office filed formal charges against Ofoia on Thursday, March 7. Her initial court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12.
“The school is a safe place. Somebody shouldn’t feel like they need to bring a firearm to school to feel safe," said Hamilton County Deputy Chief Prosecuting Attorney, Joshua Kocher. "Our goal is for the school to be a safe place in the first place, so that is not a concern that people should be addressing in a self-help fashion.”
"No students were involved, and there was never any imminent threat to safety," the department said in a statement. A note went out to parents and staff, making them aware of the situation Tuesday morning.
"Swift action was taken, with school resource officers promptly responding to HRE to secure the firearm. The individual in question was subsequently taken into custody without incident by the Fishers Police Department," school officials said in a statement regarding the incident.
One mother said her 9-year-old son attends the school, and she’s never felt he was unsafe there.
She said the way this situation was handled only reassures her the school is a good place to be.
In a statement, Fishers police said, “This incident is another reminder of the importance of our 'See Something, Say Something' culture. We urge anyone who notices any potentially unsafe situation to report it promptly to law enforcement.”
Firearms are prohibited in school buildings, according to Indiana state law and HSE school board policy.
"We extend our appreciation to our diligent school resource officers and to those who promptly reported the situation," HSE officials said in a statement.