18-year-old charged with weapon on school grounds Saturday

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – One person is facing misdemeanor charges after carrying a gun into Lincoln High School during a fundraising pancake feed on Saturday. 

According to Sioux Falls Police Department spokesman Sam Clemens, Phillip Linderman, 18, of Sioux Falls has been charged with one count of having a weapon on school grounds, which is a misdemeanor crime. Police said Linderman is not a student in the Sioux Falls School District. 

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The charge came after police sent out a news release over the weekend asking for information about “suspicious activity” including photos of a person and a car. Police said Saturday night the person had been located and identified.  

During a police briefing Monday, Clemens said students on the sidewalk noticed the driver of a car had a handgun on his lap and that person then entered the school, ate pancakes and then left. 

“He had the gun with him. It was concealed in his waistband when he was inside the school,” Clemens said. “He didn’t show it to anybody, didn’t threaten anybody with it.” 

Clemens said police worked with the Sioux Falls School District to get information about the suspect and received tips about the suspect. 

“There were no threats with that,” Clemens said, adding there was no explanation why he had the gun with him at the school. 

Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum said police were in close contact with school officials to quickly figure out what happened and who was involved. 

Clemens said the gun was not stolen and Linderman did not own the gun.“It was lended to him by a friend,” Clemens said. 

Thum said police are constantly communicating about school safety, including with Brandon, Harrisburg and Tea School Districts. 

“We’re just busy because we’re a big city,” Thum said. 

Thum pointed out police have to use the evidence they have in any case, including a gun inside a school. 

“These have to play out in court,” Thum said. 

Thum said the number of people legally carrying guns has increased. 

“With Constitutional Carry, there are rights that are afforded within South Dakota,” Thum said. “Those rights don’t include everywhere and anywhere. There are still restrictions on where firearms can be and I think we can all agree schools are an important restriction on that.”