11-year-old arrested after bringing gun to school in Pierce County, WA

11-year-old brings gun to middle school in Spanaway

An 11-year-old boy was arrested for bringing a gun to his middle school in Pierce County Tuesday morning.

SPANAWAY, Wash. - An 11-year-old boy was arrested for bringing a gun to his middle school in Pierce County Tuesday morning.

What we know:

The boy was a student of Liberty Ridge Middle School in Spanaway, Washington.

Around 7:50 a.m., a student reported seeing another student with a pistol in his backpack while riding the bus. A staff member was notified, who then contacted Pierce County school resource officers.

The student suspect was detained by campus security. Upon searching his backpack, officers located a Sig .380 handgun with no magazine and a single loose bullet.

Deputies say the student located a key to a family member's safe, which was how he was able to access the firearm.

The 11-year-old student was later arrested and taken to Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center.

The Pierce County Sheriff's Office says school resource officers will work with the family to secure or remove other weapons in the home.

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