6-Year-Old Montco Boy Brought Loaded Gun To School, Mother Charged: DA

NORRISTOWN, PA — A Norristown mother is facing criminal charges after her 6-year-old son took her handgun, which had been illegally sold to her, into his elementary school, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Jasmin Devlin, 30, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment in the case.

The incident occurred on Feb. 9 at Joseph K. Gotwals Elementary School.

The night before, on Feb. 8, Devlin's son found the gun in Devlin's dresser, police said. His 10-year-old brother took the bullets out of the gun and pointed the weapon at him, "pretending to shoot him," according to investigators. Then in the middle of the night, the 6-year-old got up and put the weapon into his backpack.

The next morning, Devlin's son showed the weapon to other students on the school bus, and then brought the gun into the school itself, police said.

A group of children reported seeing a "real gun and bullets" to the school secretary, who called the boy into her office and saw the loaded weapon in his backpack, according to authorities.

Norristown Police Chief Michael Bishop called the children who reported the gun "true heroes."

"Their notification to school officials resulted in an immediate response by Norristown Police," Bishop said in a statement, adding that they "prevented tragedy."

The weapon was a "straw purchase," which means it was bought by a second party for another person. The weapon in Devlin's possession was purchased illegally by Joseph Rudnitskas, 33, of Norristown. Rudnitskas was arrested in April 2022 and is awaiting trial on multiple felony counts.

Devlin turned herself into police on Tuesday. Bail was set at $50,000, and she is not allowed to have any contact with children.

A preliminary hearing is set for 11 a.m. on Feb. 24.