A high school student was arrested after authorities found a BB gun in a vehicle at the high school parking garage in Waltham, Massachusetts, officials said Thursday.
School officials said the investigation began when they received a report last week that a firearm may have been spotted inside a vehicle on school grounds last week, according to a letter sent to the school community by Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa. Police responded and found the vehicle in the school's parking garage. The weapon was a BB gun made to look like a real Glock firearm, according to police, not a functional firearm.
Police confirmed a 17-year-old student was taken out of school and arrested. That student has not been publicly identified.
The building was placed on a brief "hold-in-place" during the police response. Police and school officials say they believe this is an isolated incident and there is no greater threat to the school community.
While no one is hurt, the discovery comes on the heels of heightened concerns following the deadly shooting at a high school in Winder, Georgia.
Counseling services are available to students, staff and families through the school. School district officials said they are also reviewing safety protocols to see if any changes need to be made to prevent similar situations.
"I am deeply grateful to the community member who reached out to the Waltham Police Department to report this concern. Please remind your children of the importance of reporting any unusual or suspicious activity to a trusted adult or school authority immediately," Mendonsa wrote in the letter.
