BENTON, Mo. – Benton, Missouri father faces charges of unlawful use of a weapon and child endangerment after he used the butt of his loaded handgun as a hammer for a school project, police said.

Jeffrey Kyle Grubbs, 45, was working with students including his own children on a 4-H project at Kelly Elementary School in Benton Monday when he used the butt of his handgun to drive a thumbtack into a wood plaque – swinging it by the barrel, Scott County Sheriff’s Department Det. Darrin Sides told the Southeast Missourian.

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Grubbs has a concealed-carry permit, but it’s illegal to bring a firearm onto school property without approval from school officials, Sides said.

“It was reported that there were two children ages 6 and 9 in the immediate area during the incident,” Sheriff Rick Walter wrote in a news release. “There were multiple people in the general area that were completely unaware of the incident.”

School surveillance footage and witnesses revealed one child was standing just behind Grubbs, and his children were standing at a table behind him, when he was swinging the gun, which police said was loaded but did not have a round in the chamber.

KMOV reports:

During the interview at the Sheriff’s Office, Grubbs admitted to bringing the gun, while loaded, onto school grounds, and that while attempting to drive a thumbtack into a wooden plaque, he pulled the gun out and used the butt as a hammer.

He says that after hammering the thumbtack a handful of times, he felt compelled to unload the gun.

That’s when he unloaded the magazine, put the bullets in his pocket, and continued using the gun as a hammer.

Police went to Grubbs’ home in Sikeston and confiscated his gun. He was arrested and released on a criminal summons for a court hearing next Tuesday.

The Southeast Missourian pointed out that Grubbs’ arrest is only the most recent firearms related incident at the school in recent times.

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“Landon Urhahn, 18, of Benton pleaded guilty March 10 to unlawful use of a weapon. He brought a firearm to school in his vehicle Nov. 18, after an argument with other students that occurred the previous day,” according to the news site.

“It was reported Urhahn also brought a firearm to school in his truck back in June 2014 when he was one of four boys who were playing basketball on school grounds. Kaden Robert, 15, was killed when the gun discharged as it was passed to him in the truck.”

Several folks online commented that Grubbs’ arrested seemed like overkill for an honest mistake, while others suggested that local law enforcement seek a maximum penalty to teach irresponsible gun owners a lesson.

One Southeast Missourian commenter – 3381922x – even thought Grubbs should have his children taken away over the incident.

“Two felonies should beget jail time; otherwise, why have the statute in place, if it’s not to be enforced. What bothers me, had his gun discharged and killed yet another student, would society deem it as another ‘tragic accident?’” 3381922x posted.

“Enforce the laws and show these irresponsible and reckless firearm owners that they have to abide by the law. In addition to jail, losing his CC license, this guy should not be allowed around minors (including his own), as he has proven himself to be reckless and dangerous.”