At approximately 9:15 am on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, an off-duty Corpus Christi Police Department Officer was working at a school campus located on the 1100 block of Villarreal. 

The off-duty CCPD Officer called in for assistance advising that a 4-year-old student was in possession of a loaded handgun on campus.  The CCPD Officer immediately took possession of and secured the weapon. 

Additional officers responded to the school to assist with the investigation.  Investigators arrived at the residence of the student and were able to identify the owners of the handgun, which were identified as the parents of the child.

30-year-old Paul Torres was arrested and charged with Making a Firearm Accessible to Children and was additionally charged with Abandoning or Endangering a Child.

The Corpus Christi Police Department wants to remind all our citizens to ensure that firearms are safely stored.  We recommend that all guns are unloaded, trigger locked, and in a locked gun safe, or pistol box with the ammunition locked away separately.  Keys for the guns and ammunition should be located out of reach of children, away from the weapons and ammunition.  Check frequently to make sure the items are stored properly and remain secure.