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Security guard arrested at Bethel Park High School

PITTSBURGH — Bethel park police officers and a school resource officer were serving a search warrant at the high school this morning when they arrested a security guard.

Bernard Allen Switala had a handgun in a backpack that was next to him at his post at the front door of the high school, police said.

Switala also had another firearm in his personal vehicle which was parked in the school parking lot. He’s charged with two counts of possession of a weapon on school property.

The warrant that police had been trying to serve on Switala was in connection with a recent incident where he is accused of pulling a firearm on a person in South Park, police said.

In that incident, a motorcyclist told police a vehicle pulled up next to him and the driver had a gun, pointed to his glove box and made several threats to kill both people on the motorcycle.

Through the investigation, police were able to identify Switala as the driver.