A man shot himself in the leg in the parking lot of a local school Friday afternoon.

Michigan State Police report the incident happened around 3pm as a male subject was picking up his child at Three Fires Elementary School in the Howell Public Schools District when he accidentally discharged his hand gun. Preliminary investigation indicates the man was waiting in his vehicle in the car line to pick-up his child and while adjusting his gun inside the vehicle, the man shot himself in the leg. There was a brief lockdown of the school and parents were able to pick up their children once the lockdown was lifted. Howell Public Schools Spokesman Tom Gould tells WHMI the school was put into shelter-in-place lockdown, meaning students were held where they were at. Classes normally dismiss at 3:40pm. Gould says dismissal was delayed roughly 6 to 7 minutes so that emergency first responders could finish clearing the scene. He says staff followed all safety protocols and at no time were students ever in any danger. Gould says they’re thankful for the fast response of law enforcement and first responders as they worked through the situation.

Many parent comments on social media disagree that there was no threat to student safety, wondering why a parent was even handling a handgun while in a pickup line and expressing concern that even if the discharge was an accident, the bullet had the potential to leave the vehicle.

The man was transported by ambulance to the University of Michigan Hospital. Michigan State Police say the investigation shows no criminal intent and is ongoing. (JM/JK)