An 18-year-old student Park Hill student who faces a felony charge after being found with a loaded gun at school is now out on bond.
David Jay Peebles, of Kansas City in Platte County, was granted a reduction in his bond at a hearing held Tuesday, Nov. 25. Originally, Peebles was being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. He faces a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon.
At the Nov. 25 hearing, Peebles’ bond was reduced to $10,000 cash/surety, with a 10 percent cash option, meaning he was able to bond out by posting $1,000 cash.
The bond reduction was granted with no objection by prosecutors, according to online records.
Online court records show Peebles is being represented by attorney Matthew Brown of St. Louis.
According to charges outlined in court documents, at about 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, school administration at the LEAD Innovation Center in the Park Hill School District notified the on-duty school resource officer of a report from a student stating another student had a firearm in his backpack.
Peebles and the backpack were taken to the office, where a school administrator searched the backpack and found a gun wrapped in a t-shirt, according to the court documents.
The SRO confiscated the weapon, identified as a 9 mm handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition in the magazine. There was not a bullet in the chamber, according to court documents.
Peebles was taken into custody and transported to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, where he agreed to speak to detectives. Peebles allegedly told investigators he was afraid of other students at school and was also afraid of the possibility of school shooters, according to the probable cause statement. He wanted to be able to defend himself, he told authorities, according to court documents.
Peebles’ next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 13.
