MPS principal allegedly did not inform district about gun incident, parents angry

MILWAUKEE – Recently unsealed court records show that criminal charges have been filed against the principal of a Milwaukee public school.

Prosecutors allege he failed to report an incident involving a gun at a school. Court documents show he is also accused of lying to police about it.

Prosecutors said the alleged crimes occurred in February at the Thurston Woods Campus School, which serves students in grades four through eight.

A sign near the school's front door states that weapons are prohibited. Korettea Cooper says she had no idea that those rules were being violated while her son was in class.

“What do you think about this as a parent?” asked TMJ4 reporter Ben Jordan.

“How can I trust the adults who are supposed to protect children to protect my son if they allow this to happen to another child,” Cooper said.

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Prosecutors said an 11-year-old student brought a gun to school, pointed it at a classmate and pulled the trigger, but the chamber was empty.

According to court documents, a student who witnessed the incident told a teacher, who found the gun hidden in a stairwell and brought it to principal Dennis Daniels.

School principals are required to report all cases of violence in schools where there is a serious or imminent threat.

The public prosecutor's office assumes that this did not happen and that Daniels did not report the incident to the district administration or the police.

Instead, investigators claim Daniels took the gun to Milwaukee police the next day and lied to them about how it was found, saying, “He found the gun under a bush in front of the school.”

According to the prosecution, the truth only came to light eight days later. Then, according to a spokesman, MPS contacted the police and informed the students.

According to Geri Reed, the report did not mention a gun allegedly pointed at a child's head.

“There really wasn't much information given,” she said. “I want to know in detail.”

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Daniels is charged with abuse of office and obstruction of a public officer. He is due in court next month.

An MPS spokesman said the district could not comment on his employment status.

As for the student with the gun, court records show he was eventually expelled from MPS. TMJ4 is still trying to find out if he will face charges in juvenile court.

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