Police charged a fifth grade student in Alexandria with brandishing a weapon after an incident that took place during a bus ride home from Douglas MacArthur Elementary School on Monday.
The 10-year-old student apparently showed a toy weapon that looked like a real gun to another student during the afternoon bus ride, which prompted an immediate investigation by school officials, Alexandria police said.
The school launched an investigation into the incident Monday night and tried to contact the accused student's parents, Alexandria City Public Schools spkesperson Kelly Alexander said.
Tuesday morning, Alexandria police and school administrators stopped the student for questioning as he entered the school building. Officers discovered a toy replica weapon with an orange tip in the child's backpack, police said, and the student was immediately taken into custody. No students were harmed during the incident.
"The safety of our students is always our first concern,” said Superintendent Morton Sherman. “We appreciate the quick response and action by our police. The student is suspended from school. The school division will complete its investigation in cooperation with the police as we consider further disciplinary action, including expulsion. As always, we encourage direct communication from parents, including personal phone calls."
The school suspended the boy and could expel him, News4 Northern Virginia Bureau's David Culver reported.
