Student found with gun in Utah County school

LEHI – A student is removed from Lehi Junior High School after police say he brought a gun to the campus.  Investigators say no one was hurt or threatened, but they’re trying to figure out why he brought it in the first place.

Police say the boy never brandished the weapon and he kept it in his backpack while he was in school.  However, he reportedly told friends about it.

“Thankfully, another student at the school had heard he had it in his backpack and reported it to the staff,” according to Lehi Police Lieutenant Toby Peterson.

Even though they don’t know why he brought it to school, Peterson says bringing it to campus was no accident.

“We believe that he intentionally brought it to school and knew he had it in his backpack.  We’re certain, at this point, the students were never in any harm’s way,” Peterson says.

Officials with the Alpine School District say they’re happy that students felt comfortable enough to inform the staff about the gun before a potentially bigger problem happened.

District Spokesperson Kimberly Bird says, “It’s just not something that we take lightly, even if it would have been an airsoft.”

The district has not yet decided what will happen with the student.

“No matter what, anything that looks like a weapon is dealt with, swiftly, and there are severe consequences for that,” Bird says.