A teacher on a field trip to the Denver Zoo was cited Wednesday by police after a handgun was found in his backpack.
Doug Schepman, a police spokesman, said the teacher was issued a ticket for carrying a weapon after he was unable to prove he had a concealed carry permit.
Officers were called to the zoo about 2:30 p.m. after a bus driver reported the teacher had asked that his weapon be secured while the class went into the facility, Schepman said.
“An officer made contact with the teacher, who was totally cooperative,” Schepman said. “We confiscated the handgun and he was cited.”
The case was .
The teacher told police he had a permit for the weapon, authorities said, but he could not verify it.
“It doesn’t sound like the gun was brandished (or) that there was anything out of the ordinary as far as there being a threat,” Schepman said.
The teacher works at Brighton Leadership Academy, police said. The school did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Thursday morning.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
