‘You’re Gonna Give Me My Son’: Michigan School Secretary Hailed As Hero After Banned Parent Allegedly Shows Up To School With Gun

A secretary at Romulus Middle School in Michigan is being recognized for her quick thinking after a banned parent allegedly arrived at the school with a loaded gun on Jan. 6 and tried to enter the building.

Maria Scott, the school secretary, told WXYZ that Shawntez Gregory attempted to gain entry that day, and his aggressive tone immediately put her on alert.

“Instantly, he began to swear at me, and I knew something was wrong. He said, ‘You’re gonna give me my son,’” Scott said.

Gregory had previously been banned from the school after allegedly trying to kidnap his son from his ex-wife, according to WXYZ. Scott said that in past encounters, Gregory had been calm.

“It was his voice and his body language. He’s always come calmly, rang the doorbell, and then either was removed from school grounds or left on his own. Not on Tuesday,” she explained.

Noticing that Gregory allegedly had a gun, Scott activated the school’s intercom to put the building on lockdown and called the police. Authorities say Gregory then allegedly fired seven shots outside the front doors. No one was injured, and the shots were not aimed at the school itself, WKRC reported.

During the incident, Scott said she thought of her own children and focused on keeping everyone safe. “I actually turned around and saw my boys’ picture at my desk. That for me was like, ‘I want to make it home tonight, and I want everybody in here to make it home to their families tonight,’” she told WXYZ.

Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Gregory with multiple offenses, including false report or threat of terrorism, intentional threat to commit violence at a school, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a weapon in a weapons-free school zone, reckless use of a firearm, and two counts of felony firearm, according to a press release.

“This case is every parent’s nightmare,” Worthy said. “The defendant allegedly fired a gun several times near the school when he was denied entry to get his son. The immediate reporting of an active shooter allowed the Romulus Police to quickly respond and apprehend the defendant. Luckily, no one was harmed.”

Gregory was arraigned and remanded to jail ahead of a probable cause conference scheduled for Jan. 20 and a preliminary examination on Jan. 27.

Meanwhile, Scott has been praised as a hero for her actions. “[My 6-year-old son] said, ‘The cafeteria lady said that you’re a hero,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, we’re all superheroes,’” Scott told WXYZ.

A spokesperson for the Romulus Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the incident at the school.

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