Gun, ammo found at Iowa City West High School

IOWA CITY - A handgun and a box of ammunition were found in a West High School student's backpack on Friday.

Iowa City Police Sgt. Scott Gaarde said no threats were made and no one was injured in the incident. However, charges are pending against the student, who has not been identified and remains hospitalized.

'There were no threats to staff or other students,” Gaarde said.

West High principal Jerry Arganbright said the student was experiencing what Arganbright described as 'emotional distress” on Friday. This prompted a teacher to refer the student to a guidance counselor at the school. Arganbright said the boy's conversation with the guidance counselor prompted the administration to search the student's belongings. That's when the weapon was discovered.

'We immediately secured the weapon and contacted the Iowa City Police Department and they, of course, immediately responded,” Arganbright said Monday. 'At no time was anyone in immediate danger.”

Police responded to the school at 2:52 p.m., but by that time, the student had already left campus. Gaarde said the North Liberty Police Department located the boy.

Arganbright said the student left school grounds without approval from the staff and added there was little the school could do to keep him there.

'There are limitations on physically restraining a young man in school,” he said. 'He chose to quickly depart out of the office ... We're not going to physically restrain a student.”

Arganbright said parents would be notified about the incident Monday afternoon.

Classes proceeded as normal on Monday, Arganbright said. He said faculty and staff will review the incident, but he believes the school followed its policies and procedures in responding to the incident.

'We ask for teachers to pay attention to kids ... that's what happened in this situation,” Arganbright said. 'We attempted to provide help for the student.”

Arganbright said school officers will now work with administrators at the district level on how to proceed with the student, given he brought a weapon to campus.

took him into custody.

Gaarde said the boy's parents are now working with authorities.

'The family has been very cooperative, not only with law enforcement, but school officials as well,” he said.