Authorities in Swansea say a second-grade student brought a handgun to Mark G. Hoyle Elementary, triggering a police investigation and a schoolwide safety response. Investigators report that the child showed the firearm to at least two classmates, which led officers to secure a search warrant for a Market Street residence. Police say they seized five unregistered firearms and ammunition from the home and charged two adults in connection with the case. While the investigation unfolded, school officials and police increased patrols, and a K-9 team swept the building and found no additional weapons.
Investigation, weapons seized and charges
Swansea police identified the charged adults as 51-year-old Christopher Spangler and 43-year-old Heather Spangler, and said the pair were set to be arraigned in Fall River District Court on multiple weapons-related counts, including improper firearm storage and reckless child endangerment. Officers executed a search warrant at the Market Street home and recovered five unregistered firearms and ammunition, described as a Ruger .22-caliber handgun, a Beretta 9mm, a Ruger .45-caliber handgun, a 12-gauge Savage Stevens shotgun and a Marlin .22-caliber rifle, and said four of the weapons were loaded, according to NBC Boston. Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley said, "This situation had the potential to end in a tragedy."
School swept and patrols increased
Officers and Swansea Public Schools followed up on the report the day after it surfaced, taking extra safety precautions at Hoyle Elementary while the search was carried out. A K-9 unit swept the school Tuesday evening and found no guns or ammunition, and police said there was not believed to be an active threat to the school community, per CBS Boston. Police said they plan to keep an increased presence around the school as the investigation continues.
State law and safety context
Massachusetts law generally requires a Firearms Identification (FID) Card or a License to Carry to possess most types of firearms, and the state issues guidance on approved storage devices and safety practices aimed at preventing child access. The Commonwealth's firearms pages outline licensing and storage rules that could factor into the charges the suspects face, according to Mass.gov. Swansea police said no one at the Market Street residence had a valid FID, a point investigators cited as they prepared their case.
What happens next
Police say the investigation remains active, and prosecutors are expected to review the evidence as the case moves through Fall River District Court. Officials have asked anyone with information connected to the incident to contact Swansea police as detectives continue their work.
