Rockwall-Heath students find unattended officer gun in restroom, investigation underway

Students from Cain Middle School’s boys’ gymnastics program found a holstered firearm in the boys’ restroom at the Rockwall-Heath Indoor Athletics facility, a lapse that left a Heath Department of Public Safety officer under internal investigation and reassigned pending the outcome.

Rockwall ISD said the weapon was left unattended for about two minutes. The students did not touch the gun. They immediately told their coach, who secured it.

The district said parents and guardians of the students involved were notified. It also said high school students were not present at the time and that the indoor athletic building is separate from the main Rockwall-Heath High School campus. That distinction matters for families trying to understand how the incident unfolded: the gun was found in a district athletic facility used by middle school students, not in the main high school building.

Heath DPS said it is conducting an internal investigation. Chief Brandon Seery said the officer has been reassigned while the department reviews what happened. The department describes itself as triple-certified, meaning its officers are trained and certified in law enforcement, fire protection and emergency medical services.

The episode puts a spotlight on the safeguards that failed inside a school-related facility. A firearm carried by an armed officer was left in a restroom long enough for students to discover it, creating a risk that district officials now have to address with more than a simple review. Parents will be watching for changes in how armed personnel secure weapons, how officers move through student spaces and what supervision is required when students are present.

Rockwall ISD said it was proud of the middle school students’ alertness and mature response, while also saying it takes the matter very seriously and is committed to making sure it does not happen again. For families in Rockwall County, the next questions are whether Heath DPS tightens its procedures and whether Rockwall ISD changes how it monitors armed staff and security personnel in shared athletic spaces.

The incident also fits into a wider pattern. Campus Safety Magazine reported in 2024 that there had been at least four reports over a recent four-month period of armed school security officers or law enforcement officers accidentally leaving guns unattended in school bathrooms or other K-12 campus areas. That history gives this Rockwall-Heath case added weight: it is not only about one officer’s mistake, but about whether school agencies can keep that mistake from happening again.