Man charged with felony after bringing loaded gun to Junge Stadium
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A man from Joplin is facing a felony weapons charge after police say he carried a loaded handgun into Junge Stadium Friday night.
38-year-old Randall J.B. Heath II is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, according to a probable cause statement filed in Jasper County Circuit Court.
A school resource officer detained Heath after another city employee reported seeing him conceal a firearm in his waistband.
Police said Heath was carrying a Taurus PT-111 G2 9mm handgun with a 12-round magazine inserted.
The officer also reported an odor of alcohol and wrote that Heath had "a couple shooters" before attending the school event and then chose to carry the firearm.
Officers took Heath to the Joplin City Jail and booked him on a $1,000 Cash or $15,000 surety bond.
The case also highlights an important distinction in Missouri gun law: The Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, but that right is not unlimited.
In major Second Amendment rulings, the Court has specifically pointed to longstanding restrictions on guns in places such as schools and government buildings.
Missouri law also restricts firearms at schools and school-sponsored activities, although several exceptions exist.
Heath, who believes he is falsely accused, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
