Dad arrested with gun at son's school

BALTIMORE (WMAR) - Parents react outside the high school in Hampden less than 24 hours after a student’s father arrived in an unlicensed cab packing heat.

"I should feel that (my daughter’s) safe," said Gwennea Johnson.

"You can't control the actions of other people,” added Terry Aldridge, “You really can't.  You just gotta pray they one day gain some sense."

Some have suggested 39-year old Rodney Parker was heading to a parent-teacher conference when the cab pulled up in front of the Academy for College and Career Exploration on West 36th Street.
    
That’s when the hack behind the wheel noticed something disturbing fall to the ground as Parker got out.
 
"The individual saw Rodney Parker allegedly armed with a handgun,” said Sgt. Anthony Smith of the Baltimore City Police Department, “Apparently, he had dropped the gun (and) put it back in his pocket prior to walking into the school."

Police say the cabbie waved down a cop in the area who teamed with school police officers to lock down the school, to track down Parker inside and to seize the weapon from him---all in about five minutes time.

"Obviously it's a cause for concern,” said Sgt. Smith, “It causes a very stressful situation to the school.  They don't know what the situation is.  We don't know if it could be an active shooter situation."

In a city that has witnessed decades of gun violence, many parents say they feel the schools are safe havens, and an incident like this one should prompt administrators to review their policies to insure they stay that way.
 
"I don't feel that as a parent, I should need to be checked, but if you're going to have parents bringing in guns, then maybe we do need to have someone checked at the door," said Johnson.

"There's really no use for weapons like that.  The violence really needs to come down,” said Aldridge, “There's no reason people should be walking around with guns, man."

Parker faces a pair of charges for having a handgun on his person and for the illegal possession of that firearm.