Security guard leaves loaded gun in NJ school bathroom; student steals it, police say

🚨 A Bergen County vocational school was briefly locked down after a security guard allegedly left a loaded handgun in a bathroom stall.
🔴 Police say an 18-year-old student found the Glock 43 handgun inside Lincoln Technical Institute in Paramus and took it.
👮 Detectives later recovered the gun in Elmwood Park, leading to weapon and theft charges against the student.

PARAMUS — A security guard who allegedly left a loaded firearm unattended and was unable to locate it inside a Bergen County vocational school on Wednesday morning prompted a police investigation, and eventually an arrest.

Paramus police investigate missing gun at Lincoln Technical Institute

On Wednesday, May 20, just before noon, officers from the Paramus Police Department went to Lincoln Technical Institute to investigate what happened to the missing firearm, placing the school on a brief lockdown as a precaution.

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At no time was there believed to be an ongoing threat to students, staff, or the public, said Paramus Police Chief Robert M. Guidetti.

Security guard allegedly left Glock handgun in school bathroom stall

The investigation revealed that a 53-year-old security officer from Oakland inadvertently left his Glock 43 9mm handgun unattended inside a stall of a men’s restroom at approximately 9:20 a.m.

Lincoln Tech student charged after taking unattended firearm

Surveillance video, as well as multiple interviews conducted, revealed that a Lincoln Tech student, Jayden Y. Combs, 18, of Elmwood Park, found the gun and took it, Guidetti said.

Hours later, detectives found the handgun inside a school backpack in Elmwood Park hours later

Combs was charged with theft of lost property and possession of a weapon. It’s not clear if the security guard will face any repercussions.

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