http://www.macombjournal.com/news/x7...un-in-bathroom

Macomb, Ill. -
While some first grade students are struggling with multiplication and learning cursive, other students are proving their responsibility and potentially saving lives.

A first-grade student found a loaded 9mm service revolver in the men’s restroom at Aurelio’s Pizza while on a class trip May 14.

Margaret Harn, the boy’s teacher, and his mother did not respond to messages Tuesday seeking comment.

Jimmy Buwick, owner of Aurelio’s, 221 N Randolph St., said that around 12:20 p.m. a group of first- graders from Rushville-Industry and a group of Illinois State Police investigators were eating at the restaurant. When one of the officers used the restroom, he left his gun on the paper dispenser in the handicap stall.

“I was notified later when a monitor teacher came to me and said that one of the boys said that there was a gun in the restroom,” said Buwick. “One of my employees had already removed it and brought it back to the kitchen, and I took it upstairs.”

Buwick said that the gun was loaded. When the agent returned about an hour later to retrieve the revolver, Buwick asked to speak with the agent’s superior, and soon a lieutenant came to the restaurant. After taking the revolver, the lieutenant said that he would follow normal procedure for dealing with the incident within.

A woman who answered the phone at Illinois State Police headquarters in Springfield Tuesday referred questions to Trooper Edward Howard, who handles media inquiries for District 14 headquarters in Macomb. Howard did not return messages left for him Tuesday afternoon.

“Before he left I asked him if he could go by the school and give some kind of awards to these boys,” said Buwick. “They saved a real tragedy from happening by being smart on the job when needed.”

The officer who left the service revolver is a long-time agent, and he seemed sincere and concerned, said Buwick.

“He was not arrogant or abrasive. He did basically what I asked him to do,” said Buwick. “He was very concerned about what he’d done and what could have happened, because it could have ended up much worse. Both gentlemen from the state police were very cooperative.
“Those boys really are heroes. We feel very fortunate.”