It was a frightening find at the Wheelersburg Wendy’s on Saturday afternoon when the restaurant manager discovered a holstered Glock left behind in the bathroom.
The manager told dispatchers an employee brought the weapon to him around 2:30 p.m. He immediately locked it in the office and called 911. Deputies arrived shortly afterward to take possession of the gun.
Considering the steady flow of families through the fast-food restaurant on a Saturday, the discovery could have ended in tragedy. A loaded weapon left unsecured in a public restroom, especially in a family restaurant, is an accident waiting to happen.
Owner Comes Forward — After Several Hours
Around 5 p.m., the gun’s owner called the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office asking about the missing weapon. Deputies told him the firearm had been entered into evidence and that he would need to contact the department on Monday to discuss retrieval.
Even in Open-Carry Ohio, You’re Responsible for Your Gun
Ohio is an open-carry state, but that doesn’t mean gun owners are off the hook for carelessness. Leaving a weapon unattended — especially in a public place — can expose the owner to serious legal and civil liability. If someone, particularly a child, had picked up that gun and been injured, the owner could have faced charges ranging from negligent entrustment to child endangering, as well as lawsuits for damages.
Firearms advocates and law enforcement alike stress one rule above all others: if you carry, you’re responsible — every moment, every place, every time.
