Update: 17-Year-Old Charged After Bringing Gun To Unity Reed HS: Cops

MANASSAS, VA — A 17-year-old boy brought an unloaded handgun to Unity Reed High School on Friday, the Prince William County Police Department said.

The boy is charged with possession of a weapon on school property and possession of a firearm by a juvenile. He is being held at the Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center. His court date is pending.

Authorities have not publicly identified the boy by name due to a Virginia law that protects the identities of minors.

The police department said the teen displayed the handgun, which was unloaded, in a school bathroom. The school resource officer learned of the incident around 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

School staff members and the resource officer found the student and learned that he still had the gun. He was detained and later taken to the juvenile detention center.

"At no time was the weapon brandished in a way to threaten students, faculty or staff, or threaten the safety of the school," the police department said in a report.

On Friday evening, Prince William County schools superintendent LaTanya McDade sent a letter to families expressing her sorrow after last week's shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.

"My fervent hope is that we one day know a reality that does not include school shootings or the need to prepare for one. Until that hope becomes the living standard, PWCS recognizes the need to respond proactively to deter, detect, and defend," McDade wrote. "We consistently review our crisis management plans, progressively invest in safety initiatives, and frequently evaluate our building security. We need our community to partner with us to ensure our students have the freedom to attend school without hesitation, trepidation, or fear."

Friday was the last day for residents to submit feedback for the school system's planned weapon detectors program. McDade said the school division will report its findings to the school board later this month.

More information about the proposed weapon screening program is available online.