CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — A Crystal Lake man is facing a firearms-related charge after his legally owned handgun was discovered on an elementary school playground by a child following the end of the school day, local authorities confirmed.

The incident occurred around 3:50 p.m. on September 2 at South Elementary School, located at 601 Golf Road. According to Crystal Lake Police, classes had already been dismissed when officers responded to a report of a gun found on the playground.

Investigators determined that 45-year-old George Kiska, who holds a valid Illinois concealed carry license, had unintentionally dropped his firearm while visiting the playground with his child.

The gun was located by another child, who then informed a parent. Kiska, still present at the scene, recovered the weapon after being notified.

Following a review by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Kiska was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone, a violation of Illinois state law, which prohibits the presence of firearms on school property or affiliated public spaces, regardless of licensing.

Kiska was not taken into custody and has since been released. A court appearance is pending.

Whether the firearm was carried on-body or off-body, the responsibility lies entirely with the gun owner. If you choose to carry a firearm in public, especially around children, using a secure and reliable holster is not optional. It is a basic requirement of responsible concealed carry. There is no reasonable excuse for you to drop a gun and not notice it.

If it was being carried on-body, proper retention should have made it impossible to lose track of. If it was off-body, such as in a bag, that still demands constant control and awareness. A well-secured firearm does not end up on the ground, especially in a place frequented by kids.

This brings to mind the widely shared video of the FBI agent whose pistol flew out while doing a backflip on a dance floor. That incident became a perfect example of what happens when basic carry practices are ignored. The lesson is the same here. Carrying a firearm comes with serious responsibility. If the weapon had stayed secured, it would not have been found by a child. While carrying in a school zone is still a violation of the law, it was carelessness that turned that violation into a safety issue.