A 32-year-old man was detained after deputies say he brought a firearm onto the Meadowbrook Middle School grounds, sparking concerns about Florida’s recently passed open-carry law.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies rushed to the school on Saturday afternoon after receiving allegations of a dispute involving Shelton Bowe. According to the arrest report, Bowe stated during the dispute that he believed it was permissible to carry a firearm openly before deputies arrived.
Bowe, who carries a concealed weapons license, was charged with criminal possession of a firearm on school grounds. He informed authorities he had no idea he was standing on school property.
According to attorney James Phillips, a partner at The Firearm Firm, the case highlights the necessity of gun owners recognizing the limitations of Florida’s new regulation.
“He underwent training. It’s just common knowledge among those who carry firearms that you don’t bring them onto school grounds or on your person,” Phillips explained.
Phillips clarified that the open-carry law does not supersede federal or state limitations. Guns remain illegal in schools, courthouses, police and sheriff’s stations, post offices, airports, and other designated areas.
“Open carry definitely does not mean a free-for-all,” Phillips stated. “Having it on your person, whether concealed or open, will violate this law. And that is exactly what this man discovered.
Despite the restrictions, Phillips described the program as a “win for the Second Amendment,” saying that open carry gives both tactical benefits and practical convenience in Florida’s environment.
Court records show Bowe has subsequently bailed out of jail.
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