A police department in Columbus, Ohio, said on Friday it had launched an investigation after a 6-year-old boy was caught carrying a handgun into a local school.
The child tried to bring the firearm into Columbus Africentric Early College—a public high school— the same day, but was stopped after a witness reported the student as having "what appeared to be a heavy object in their pants," Columbus police said in statement on social media.
School staff were informed and the student was halted at the door of the school. The handgun was "quickly recovered" from the boy without incident by the on-site Resouce Officer.
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The department's gun crimes unit was assigned to investigate. Officials confirmed the child will not face any charges relating to the incident because of his age. "Please take the time to make sure guns in your home are secure for your safety and for the safety of others," police said.
An image of the handgun was posted online. The magazine appeared to be fully loaded.
WBNS-TV, a CBS-linked TV station serving the local area, reported the school's principal, Tyree Pollard, had sent a letter home with students asking parents to remain vigilant when it came to firearms. He described the Friday incident and asked for help in "reinforcing" the message.
Pollard wrote: "As students were arriving for school this morning, an alert parent made our staff aware of a potential weapon being carried into our building.
"The weapon was safely and quickly secured, and Columbus Police and our Safety and Security team immediately addressed the situation to ensure that all students were safe," he continued. "Please know that the student who brought the weapon will face appropriate discipline."
The principal said the school has a zero tolerance policy on weapons. He said disciplinary action includes suspension but it was not yet clear how the student in question would be punished.
"The consequences of having a weapon outside of school can be even more extreme," Pollard continued. "Young people at every age need to understand the dangers of having a gun, taser, or other type of weapon—even fake ones that look real. We need families to have thoughtful age-appropriate conversations about the types of items that are never appropriate to bring to school."
The school is K-12, meaning it offers education to children aged from kindergarten to 12th grade.
There were more than 110 people killed or injured in school shootings in the U.S. last year with researchers recording 23 incidents that resulted in deaths or injuries, the BBC reported.
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