Spectator with gun at St. Bede baseball game was off-duty cop

A spectator at St. Bede Academy’s home baseball game Tuesday was seen carrying a firearm but the individual turned out to be an off-duty police officer.

Spring Valley and Peru police officers were dispatched Tuesday to the school grounds – the gun was not inside the school building – and Spring Valley Police Chief Adam Curran confirmed this morning the unnamed individual with the weapon was a sworn officer. Curran did not identify the agency.

St. Bede issued a notice to parents there was no threat to the school or to the spectators.

“I want to be clear that in no way was a gun brought into our school building,” Principal Nick McLaughlin wrote in the advisory.

McLaughlin said an opposing team spectator was carrying a gun that was “clearly visible” and that “a concerned parent” contacted Curran, who then responded by sending officers to the school with members from both the Spring Valley and Peru police departments.

“Once police arrived to the scene, the individual was confronted and identified as a member of law enforcement with a state agency,” McLaughlin wrote. “The police departments determined that the individual did not pose a threat to the students or other spectators.

“I would like to thank both the Spring Valley and Peru police departments for responding in a timely manner and keeping our school community safe as usual. I would also like to thank the concerned parents who immediately reached out and reported the issue to police. It truly takes all individuals to work together as a team to keep our students, fans, and school community safe, and that was evident in this situation.”