Custodian accidentally shoots himself at elementary school, police say

STANFORD, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) – A custodian at a Kentucky elementary school accidentally shot himself while working at the school Tuesday night, according to police.

Police said the second-shift custodian at Stanford Elementary School in Lincoln County accidentally shot himself when he was there after school hours, around 11 p.m.

Police said evidence of what happened was discovered Wednesday morning, leading to a large police response at the school.

Officers were called to the school when someone found blood leading from a staff break room to the parking lot. The building was searched, and investigation revealed the custodian accidentally shot himself hours before and then left the building.

Officials are not releasing the man’s name but said the case remains active with potential charges pending. It’s unclear why the custodian had a gun or how the shooting occurred.

The custodian has serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He has also since resigned from the school.

Police stayed at the school throughout the day on Wednesday while classes resumed as normal. That police presence was unsettling to some parents.

“A lot of police cars. Normally there is just one sitting in front of the school. But there were definitely way more this morning,” parent Autumn Morgan said of the scene at school. “There were Facebook posts, and rumors spread faster than they should have. I knew they [the students] were safe. But then you have that funny feeling in your belly as well.”

Police want to stress that the building is safe and there was never any threat to students or staff members. No one else was involved.

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