A Lexington County middle school student is accused of having a loaded gun in his backpack at school Tuesday.

“A male student at Carolina Springs Middle School had a loaded pistol in his book bag,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Administrators received a tip the student might have a gun and they found it in the backpack after confronting him in the cafeteria.”

Administrators took the student to the office and requested assistance from the school resource officer, Koon said.

“We’ve charged the student with carrying a weapon on school property,” Koon said. “He was released to the custody of his mother and will appear in Lexington County Family Court at a later date. His name will not be released because he’s under the age of 18.

“This is a case of the system working,” Koon said. “Someone spoke up and told administrators what they were hearing. Because they did the right thing, we worked together to make sure teachers, staff and students remained safe and learning continued in a secure environment.”