Mason County custodian arrested for unsecured gun on school property

MASON COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – A school custodian has been arrested in Mason County for allegedly having an unsecured gun on school property. The incident is in connection to a school threat made by a student.

According to Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Seth Gaskins, John H. Kauff, 39, of Hartford was arrested Friday by New Haven Police Chief D. Hardwick. Kauff is charged with “possessing a deadly weapon on an educational premises.”

Gaskins says the charge is related to an investigation at New Haven Elementary School on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, regarding allegations of a threat made by an 11-year-old student at the school.

According to the prosecuting attorney’s office, Kauff was employed as a custodian at the time of the alleged incident. WOWK 13 News is working to learn if Kauff is still employed by Mason County Schools.

Gaskins says that the 11-year-old is accused of threatening to shoot a classmate and himself, allegedly saying he would get the gun from Kauff’s vehicle, which was in the school’s parking lot due to his employment. The prosecutor’s office says law enforcement got consent to search Kauff’s vehicle and found a firearm that was “not legally secured.”

Gaskins says Kauff’s bond is set to $40,000 bond with the conditions of home confinement and no firearms.

The prosecutor says his office has also “begun the juvenile detention process” in connection to the juvenile involved in the threat, but the child is not in custody. Gaskins says the NHPD confirmed the child has been “removed from the school.” He says CPS is also involved in the investigation.

The announcement of these arrests comes after Gaskins announced Wednesday that legal action would be coming against an adult male and a juvenile in connection to an isolated incident. He said the “isolated” threat was “in no way connected to the broader social media threats reported earlier.”

Sheriff Corey Miller tells WOWK 13 News a second isolated incident Gaskins mentioned on Thursday has since been deemed not credible and that investigation has been completed.

Gaskins also stated that “there has been no threat since the alleged incident on September 11th.”

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