Note: Not actual knife from story.

If you’ve ever gone on a camping trip with your usual backpack, you know how easy it is to accidentally leave some rope or supplies in your bag. However, for one Eagle Scout—the youngest one in the state of Colorado—accidentally forgetting a knife in his backpack meant potential criminal charges.

According to American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI), the young boy had gone camping in the spring. He took a small knife with him on the trip, but he forgot to remove it before heading back to school. Needless to say, his school was not pleased with his mistake. He was charged with having a weapon at school.

It’s easy to imagine the fear and headache this whole ordeal was for the young boy. As an Eagle Scout, I’m sure he is a great student who never got into any major trouble, and being charged with having a weapon is a big deal.

Fortunately, his public defender was smart enough to reach out to the AKTI and measured the length of the knife with the AKTI Knife Measuring Protocol. Using the accurate measurement system, it was found that the boy’s knife was under 3.5 inches, meaning it should not be considered a weapon. All the charges were dropped.

Still, the whole incident went too long and too far. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, don’t be afraid to reach out to AKTI or Knife Rights. For a list of great resources, check out AKTI’s resource section.

The issue of good young students and boy scouts accidentally leaving their knife in their backpack or car is not new. So always remember to store your knife in a safe place at home before going to school, public buildings or airports.