Teacher resigns after gun found in his backpack

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A teacher resigned from St. Joseph Academy after he was found with a gun in his back pack Wednesday.

The Diocese of St. Augustine said Grady Heiss, a science teacher, had a gun in a back pack.

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Heiss was placed on administrative leave after the gun was found, but then he resigned.

When News4Jax contacted Heiss he didn’t have a lot to say, except he had a great run as a teacher and now he's done. Heiss had no other comments.

Kathleen Bagg, Director of Communications, Diocese of St. Augustine said about 330 students attend the school.

Bagg said no children were in danger and that Heiss had no intentions of using the gun on campus. She said it was poor judgement for the gun to have been brought on campus and that it goes against school policy and state law.

Heiss has been an employee at the school for almost the past decade.

Bagg said school officials are not sure how the tip about the gun was made, but the sheriff's department was called and deputies came to the school to follow up.

A few students said he was a teacher who was loved and that things won’t be the same at the school.