A student has been arrested in Lebanon for allegedly bringing a loaded gun and marijuana to school.
The incident happened around 8 a.m. Thursday on a bus bound for Lebanon High School.
According to reports, an assistant principal and School Resource Officer were contacted by a bus driver concerning the smell of marijuana on board the bus.
The bus was searched, which turned up a backpack towards the back of the bus containing a loaded .22 pistol.
Authorities said a video captured what took place on the school bus. In the video, a 17-year-old student was seen taking the weapon out of his backpack and placing it into another student’s backpack.
The 17-year-old was also seen in the video throwing a small amount of marijuana under a nearby seat.
Officials said the student initially lied about bringing the gun to school, but he later confessed to officials. He told officers he had the gun for protection at home.
According to reports, the student said he placed the gun in another student’s backpack because he feared getting caught.
Authorities confirmed the student did not make any threats against anyone at the school.
The student, whose identity was not released, was taken to a juvenile facility where he was facing charges of possession of a weapon on school property and simple possession of a schedule VI drug.
“Things worked exactly like they were supposed to this morning,” Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan said. “The bus driver was alert and took action. Our SRO and school administrators reacted quickly, and as a result, we were able to get a dangerous weapon off the street and out of the hands of a child.”
