HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β A 12-year-old student was arrested at Fairfield Middle School Wednesday morning for attempting to bring a loaded firearm into the building.
The student, a female according to Crime Insider sources, was detained after she walked through the school's OpenGate weapons detection system.
Henrico Police Chief Eric English explained at an unrelated briefing this morning that the firearm was caught by the school's weapon detection system around 8:15 a.m.
Administrators were alerted, and a gun was found in the student's backpack.
The student was charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds and possession of a firearm as a juvenile, according to English.
The school resumed regular operations as no other threats were detected, according to Henrico Police.
"We see a lot going on not just here locally but across this country," English said. "The safety of our school has to be paramount."
English said he was glad the school's OpenGate weapons detection system - implemented in 2023 - was in place.
This is the first firearm detected by the equipment, according to police.
"We don't know the intent or what could have happened if that weapon had not been detected," English said.
More charges could be brought about as the investigation continues, English said. He encouraged parents to ensure their firearms are locked up at home.
"We want to make sure that parents understand that weapon safety is extremely important, so we want to make sure we're doing everything we can," English said.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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