(MOBILE, Ala.) - A middle school student told investigators he brought a loaded handgun to school “for protection,” according to Bayou La Batre Police.
The gun was discovered Wednesday afternoon at Alba Middle School. Another student tipped off school staff members after seeing the handgun in the 8th grader’s backpack.
The Mobile County School System told Local 15 the school did not have to be put on lockdown, and the .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found inside the 13-year-old’s backpack in the boy’s locker room. Police said they also found a knife inside.
The teen was arrested and taken to Strickland Youth Center. The school system said he was suspended immediately.
Fortunately, the gun did not go off and no one was hurt, but the incident has rattled parents and students.
“What about next time?” parent Cheri Ledet said, “Is my kid going to be safe? It makes you scared to even send your kids to school.”
Ledet’s daughter Lori, who’s in 7th grade, said she only found out about the incident by word of mouth an hour after it happened.
“It kind of worried me,” Lori Ledet said, “There’s no telling what he’s gonna do [with the gun].”
