Kindergarten Teacher Arrested After Gun Found in Classroom

In this Thursday, March 30, 2017 photo, released by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Department, Melanie Bullard, 39, poses for a photo, in Ga. Authorities say, Bullard, a Georgia kindergarten teacher was arrested after administrators found a loaded gun in her purse in her classroom. Henson says Bullard tested positive for alcohol in evaluations administered by a school resource officer. (Paulding County Sheriff’s Department via AP)

DALLAS, GA (AP) – Authorities say a Georgia kindergarten teacher was arrested after administrators found a loaded gun in her purse in her classroom.

Paulding County sheriff’s Sgt. Ashley Henson says the gun was found after a staff member at Shelton Elementary in Dallas alerted administrators around noon Thursday that 39-year-old Melanie Bullard’s breath smelled of alcohol.

Henson says Bullard tested positive for alcohol in evaluations administered by a school resource officer. Administrators then searched for any open containers of alcohol. During the search, they found a loaded handgun in her purse, which was on the floor under her desk.

Bullard was being held without bond on charges of reckless conduct and possession of a weapon on school property. It wasn’t immediately clear whether she had an attorney who could comment on the charges.