BILLINGS — Parents at Broadwater School in Billings are receiving safety notifications again over a man who has repeatedly stationed himself on his front lawn holding a rifle within view of the school and playground.
A Billings school is moving recess indoors after a man with a rifle was spotted across the street — again:
Gabriel Metcalf, a Billings man who lives directly across the street from the school, has randomly positioned himself on his lawn holding a rifle within sight of students for the past three years.
Principal Rachel Cole and Superintendent Erwin Garcia sent a message to parents Friday saying they are taking immediate steps to keep students safe, including moving recess to indoor gymnasiums and using outdoor areas out of view of Metcalf.
Metcalf pleaded guilty in March to one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone, but the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed those federal charges, ruling prosecutors failed to prove he knowingly violated federal law.
The court noted Montana's broad open carry laws gave Metcalf a plausible belief that his actions were permissible and that convicting him violated principles of fair notice.
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