GH Newspaper Group

Elma High School administrators discovered a backpack with an unloaded .22-caliber handgun and an undisclosed amount of ammunition Friday morning, which led to the arrest of a student by Elma Police.

According to a statement from the Elma Police Department, officers were called to the school around 8:30 a.m. Friday. Upon arrival they were told by school staff that a backpack was found in the boys’ locker room, and staff searching the unattended bag to determine its owner found an unloaded .22-caliber handgun and some ammunition.

Elma Police Chief Susan Shultz said, “During the incident there was no indication of a direct threat or harm to either students or staff, and it was decided by school administrators and officers on the scene not to initiate any lockdown procedures.”

The owner of the backpack was identified, arrested and booked into the Juvenile Detention facility for unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon on school grounds.