Alberta student arrested after school staff find handgun in a backpack

A boy in the town of Whitecourt, Alta., has been arrested for allegedly bringing a handgun to school.

Mounties were called Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. after staff found the gun in a backpack after the boy was "seen with a loaded magazine."

"No one was injured at the school and there were no threats made to the school or any students by this youth," Cpl. Gina Slaney wrote in a news release.

"The school board has alerted parents regarding the incident."

Police did not say which school was involved.

RCMP said the investigation is ongoing, but because the suspect is a youth, no further information will be released.

Northern Gateway Public Schools issued a notice on Facebook Tuesday afternoon that a shelter in place was issued at Percy Baxter School "following an incident at the school."

"On Tuesday, April 25 school staff confiscated a handgun from a student in school. The school division team and the RCMP arrived quickly and were able to ascertain that the student did not intend harm at the school and did not threaten anyone," said Northern Gateway superintendent Kevin Bird in a written statement to CTV News Edmonton.

"That being said, it is a very serious incident when a gun is in a school regardless of intent. Parents were notified through the school’s voice message send out system and some parents chose to pick up their students."

Bird said the school is open again, and staff are in place "for support as needed."

Whitecourt is located about 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.