Student found with handgun at Dalewood Middle School

A student was found in possession of a gun at Dalewood Middle School Wednesday.

Chattanooga police say a Hamilton County Sheriff's Office SRO detained a male student on a burglary charge Wednesday.

Hamilton County Schools spokesperson Tim Hensley said Dalewood Middle administrators were alerted by community members over the weekend that a student may have been involved in some possible illegal activity.

Hensley was immediately taken to the office by the school SRO and administrators when he got to school Wednesday.

When Chattanooga police arrived to take the student to the Juvenile Detention Center, they found that he had a gun.

The HCSO said the gun was a small caliber handgun.

The sheriff's office has filed a charge of possession of a weapon on school grounds.

Hamilton County Schools spokesperson Tim Hensley said safety is a "top priority" for the school system:

"Communication and cooperation between the community, Chattanooga Police, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, and school administration helped to keep children at Dalewood safe in this situation. We appreciate parents and the community sharing safety concerns with us so that we can anticipate potential problems. We also appreciate our partnership with law enforcement in the community and their support in the area of school safety. Safety is a top priority for everyone at Dalewood Middle and in Hamilton County Schools. Working together we can keep our children safe."