Investigators in Manchester, New Hampshire, say they found a teacher outside an elementary school at 3 a.m. with two guns and two teenagers.
Robert Gagne, a preschool teacher, was sitting in the front seat of a car parked outside of an McDonough Elementary early Friday morning when a neighbor called police to report loud music.
Before officers arrived, police said Gagne fired a gun into a field across the street from the school.
"I heard a pop," said John Terrell of Manchester.
According to police, when Gagne got out of the car, they discovered he was sitting on one of his guns.
Gagne, who is on leave from the Manchester School District, was charged with reckless conduct.
"I was pretty shocked when I saw the picture [of him] to be honest," said Miguel Rivas, whose daughter goes to the school at Bishop O'Neil Center. "I saw the guy a few times and I know he was a teacher and I was very disappointed."
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In a statement emailed to NBC10 Boston, a spokeswoman for the Manchester School District wrote, in part, "the district strongly disapproves of the use of firearms on school property. The district wants to reassure the community that this is an isolated incident and does not represent any ongoing threat to the safety and well-being of students or other members of the public."
According to the spokeswoman, the district will respond "swiftly" with "harsh consequences."
Gagne was released on personal recognizance bail. He will be in court June 14.
Efforts to reach Gagne for comment were unsuccessful.
