Lockdown lifted at Stafford school after discovery of airsoft gun

Gayle Middle School was locked down briefly on Feb. 22. (Source: GaylePanthers/Twitter)
Gayle Middle School was locked down briefly on Feb. 22. (Source: GaylePanthers/Twitter)
Updated: Feb. 22, 2018 at 1:35 PM EST
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STAFFORD, VA (WWBT) - The Stafford County Sheriff's Office says a lock down has been lifted at a middle school after the discovery of an airsoft gun.

The sheriff's office says a student saw another student at Gayle Middle School with what appeared to be a handgun in a backpack on Thursday morning.

"The child notified the principal who in turn reported the incident to the school resource officer who was on site," the sheriff's office said. "The school resource officer identified the student with the weapon by utilizing school surveillance video."

That student was then removed from class and his locker was searched. The sheriff's office says an airsoft gun was located in his backpack.

According to an online airgun store, airsoft guns are realistic-looking weapons, but fire non-lethal small BBs or pellets.

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