A Chicago firefighter was arrested after his 14-year-old daughter posted a Snapchat photo of her holding his AR-15.
AR-15 Snapchat Photo
CBS Chicago reports that the unidentified girl—who attends Lane Technical College Preparatory High School—put up the “selfie” photo showing her posing with the rifle last week. The photo was accompanied with the caption, “Don’t worry, I won’t shoot up Lane.”
Security at Lane Tech was alerted to the photo. They in turn contacted the Chicago Police Department. At first, school officials thought the gun was fake, but when police descended on the girl’s home, they discovered a very real Sendra Corp AR-15.
The rifle belonged to 60-year-old Michael Matuszewski, a Chicago firefighter. According to the Chicago Tribune, he was taken into custody and cited with two violations: failure to properly secure a weapon from a minor, and possession of an “assault rifle” within city limits, where that style of weapon is prohibited.
Matuszewski’s daughter was not charged with any crime, as no specific threat was made against the school.
School Reaction
Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Emily Bolton said the school never went into lockdown over the photo. She also shared a letter that was sent out to parents regarding the incident.
“Earlier this afternoon, we were notified of a social media posting resembling a potential threat to our school,” the letter reads. “Please note that the posting did not contain an explicit threat. The Chicago Police Department and CPS Office of Safety and Security were immediately notified to investigate this situation. Upon completion of their assessment, CPD deemed that there was no threat to the school and at no time was there ever any safety risk to students or staff.”
Chicago Fire Department Investigation
Meanwhile, the Chicago Fire Department confirmed it was conducting its own internal affairs investigation into Matuszewski’s actions. A spokesperson, who cited the peace of mind and safety of students as a concern for the department, said it holds its firefighters and paramedics to a “higher professional standard,” but it also must allow due process for its members, the Tribune reported.
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