Second grade substitute teacher identified as person arrested at Mary Beck

ELKHART, Ind. -- Elkhart Police have identified 40-year-old substitute teacher, Marissa Meyer, as the staff member arrested for possession of a firearm on school property at Mary Beck Elementary School on Monday.

The affidavit states the School Resource Officer was notified by the Director of Safety and Security for Elkhart Community Schools on May 13, around 8:50 a.m., in reference to a teacher potentially being in possession of a gun.

The school's assistant principal then informed the authorities a school staff member told him that Meyer stated she had a gun in her backpack that morning.

Court documents state the authorities and assistant principal then went to the second-grade classroom where Meyer was the substitute teacher.

They pulled her from the classroom and asked if she had a gun with her. Meyer said the gun was currently in her backpack in the classroom.

Authorities say the backpack was found on a chair by the teacher's desk and had multiple compartments unzipped in a place where "any of the students in the room could have gained access to the gun that was later found inside."

Meyer's bag was then retrieved and searched by the authorities.

Court documents state police found a silver and black .22 Phoenix Arms handgun, unloaded, but the magazine was also located in the backpack with eight live rounds.

Police also located an empty holster. When asked, Meyer told authorities that the gun must've fallen out.

Meyer told police she had the gun in her backpack because she lost her car's key fob in South Bend the day prior and had to leave the car there.

She told the authorities she took the gun from her car and placed it in her backpack, later forgetting it was in there.

Police determined the gun wasn't stolen and that Meyer does have a handgun permit.

Meyer was then arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property, a level six felony.

Police say Meyer has no prior criminal history.