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AMERICAN FORK — American Fork Junior High School was temporarily placed on "hold" after a school resource officer found a gun in a student's backpack.
Officers responded to the school about 10:13 a.m. after students reported seeing a handgun inside a backpack, according to a news release from the American Fork Police Department. A school resource officer recovered the handgun and detained a male student who owned the backpack.
The school was placed on "hold" status while police investigated, meaning students "were secured in their respective classrooms but classrooms continue to operate normally," the news release stated.
A school official also said he found a bullet in the student's pocket.
Around the same time, police received a call that a kid was going to go to nearby Lehi High School with a gun, according to Lehi city spokeswoman Jeanteil Livingston. Officers went to Lehi High School out of an abundance of caution, but it's unclear whether there was a credible threat. Police said the two incidents were unrelated.
Investigators determined there didn't seem to be any ongoing threat to the students, faculty or staff of the school in American Fork. Police said the boy acted alone and brought the handgun to school, but officers are still investigating where he got the handgun and why he brought it to school.
"All students are safe," the Alpine School District said in an email informing parents the hold had been lifted. "We appreciate the quick response from the American Fork Police Department as they investigated the situation. Students have been released to their B2 class, as was planned for today. Out of an abundance of caution, there will be an additional police presence for the remainder of the day."
Contributing: Shara Park
