Unloaded 9mm handgun, 7 loose bullets found in fanny pack of Terry Sanford High student: Sheriff

A Cumberland County student is facing charges as a juvenile for having an unloaded gun on school property.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office confirms School Resource Officer (SRO) Deputy T. Scott received a tip about a weapon on campus at Terry Sanford High School Tuesday around 3:00 p.m.

During the investigation, the deputy located an unloaded 9mm handgun and seven bullets in the student's possession, a news release states. The student was taken into custody and turned over to the Youth Services division of the sheriff's office.

The student is facing a charge of possession of a firearm on campus.

Deputies said a vigilant student observed a partially exposed gun in a student's unzipped fanny pack and immediately notified the School Resource Officer on campus.

The Department of Juvenile Justice will determine the appropriate course of action, the sheriff's office said.

Cumberland County Schools released this statement about the incident:

Today, a student brought an unloaded gun on Terry Sanford High School's campus. As soon as school officials learned about this situation, they immediately acted and notified law enforcement to investigate. Thanks to the quick actions of students, staff and law enforcement, the situation was resolved without incident. The safety of all students and staff remains our top priority.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Youth Services Detective W. Lee at (910) 677-5473.