JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 31-year-old Jacksonville man was arrested Monday after a school safety officer found him on the grounds of Lake Shore Middle School with a knife and a baseball bat, according to his arrest report.
Christopher Coppock was taken into custody at approximately 3:55 p.m. on Aug. 10 by Duval County School Police, according to his arrest report. He faces one count of possession of a weapon on school property, a third-degree felony, and one count of trespassing on school grounds, a second-degree misdemeanor.
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What happened on school grounds
According to the arrest report, a school safety officer spotted Coppock on campus riding a bicycle and carrying a bat. The officer described him as wearing a red hoodie, red shorts and a black backpack, and said he appeared to be angry.
The officer made contact with Coppock in the school parking lot after observing him approach the gym entrance. During the encounter, the officer said he asked Coppock whether the bat was the only weapon he had.
“Coppock stated that he was also in possession of a kitchen knife that was wrapped in a towel inside his backpack,” according to the report.
Coppock then consented to a search of his bag. The officer recovered a red fixed-blade knife with a blade measuring more than 5 inches.
According to his arrest report, Coppock was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with the officer. He told investigators he had no children attending Lake Shore Middle School and said he was on campus only to look around and read signs posted on the door.
“Coppock further advised that he did not see any signs posted no weapons on school grounds,” the report states.
Investigators determined Coppock did not have a legitimate reason for being on school grounds. The knife was booked into evidence. Coppock was also formally trespassed from all Duval County schools.
Lake Shore Principal’s message to families
The principal of Lake Shore Middle School sent a message to families, notifying them about the security incident, saying:
“This is Principal Clark. While we had a wonderful first day of school, I want to inform you of a security incident that occurred just before dismissal.
Thanks to the safety and security protocols we have in place, we were able to prevent an individual who was outside our building from gaining access to campus. This individual was identified by our security team as someone who was neither a parent nor a staff member. When searched, a knife was found in the individual’s possession.
Our School Police Department responded quickly and placed the individual under arrest without incident. At no time did this person have any interaction with students or gain access to the school. I am grateful for the swift actions of our security personnel and for the safety measures we have in place, including locked doors and controlled access points, which helped keep our students and staff safe.
While this is not the type of message we want to send on the first day of school, I believe it is important to keep our families informed about any potential threats to student and staff safety. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you have a wonderful remainder of your day.