Police investigate after off-duty Philadelphia police officer brought gun to North Penn High School swim meet

A police investigation was launched after a man brought a handgun to a swim meet at North Penn High School on Wednesday night. He was later identified as an off-duty Philadelphia Police Department officer.

In an interview with North Penn now, Towamencin Police Chief Tim Troxel confirmed they received a call about an armed man at the school at 5:40 p.m. on Sept. 18. The call was made after a witness reportedly noticed a bulge under the man’s shirt – which he suspected was a firearm – at which point the witness notified school security.

“Officers responding to the call eventually located a man on school property near the swimming pool with a handgun holstered on his hip,” Troxel said.

Witnesses at the scene described the man as “animated” during his interaction with security guards and police, although Troxel would not comment on the tone of their conversation. It was quickly determined that the man was an off-duty Philadelphia City Police Officer, Troxel said.

Police have not identified the man or offered an explanation for why he brought a firearm to the school. Troxel declined to comment further because the investigation is ongoing. He said it will include a review of surveillance footage from the school and interviewing witnesses.

“The individual involved has been identified, was not a student, and there was no threat of violence or concern for school safety during the incident,” Troxel said.

Under state law, possession of a weapon on school property is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The law provides exceptions as long as “the weapon is possessed and used in connection with a lawful, supervised school activity or course or is possessed for other lawful purposes.”

It is currently unclear whether an off-duty officer from a jurisdiction outside the school district falls under the law’s exemptions. The North Penn School District did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

Police said further information would be released once the investigation was complete.