Criminal citation issued in connection with Pownal Elementary School incident

The Bennington County Sheriff’s Department tells NewsChannel 13 that there is an update in the ongoing investigation into the incident at Pownal Elementary School last week on March 19.

Crystal Mahar of Pownal was issued a criminal citation for negligent firearm storage by the Sheriff’s Department on Friday.

Officials say that the state’s attorney’s office has all official documentation related to the case, and information about the juvenile involved remains protected and cannot be released.

The Sheriff’s Department emphasizes that keeping schools safe is a shared responsibility, and that accountability is an important part of this process.

Sheriff Gulley says that this incident is a reminder of how important it is to have responsible firearm storage, in order to keep communities and schools safe.

Gulley says the Sheriff’s Department urges all gun owners to take every precaution to ensure firearms are securely stored and out of reach of children.