Absent-minded cop leaves AR-15 at school

FAIRFIELD, Ohio, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- An Ohio police officer is likely to get a "blip" on his record after leaving his assault rifle in a school parking lot following a SWAT training exercise.

Fairfield Township Police Chief Richard St. John said that a student at Edgewood High School found the AR-15 in its carrying case when he arrived for basketball practice Monday. The student reported the find to his coach, who called police.

"I want to stress that the weapon was unloaded, the action was open and it was in a carrying case," St. John told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

St. John described the officer who suffered the memory lapse as having an exemplary record and said he would not name him while an internal investigation is under way.

"Although a serious oversight, this is a blip on his record," St. John said.

The Butler County SWAT team had permission to use the high school property for a training exercise on a day when school was not in session. After the exercise, the officer apparently became distracted while talking to a supervisor and left, forgetting that he had not put his weapon in his car.