PITTSBURGH, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- A 9-year-old boy reacted to harassment at the hands of fellow students by taking a loaded handgun to his Pittsburgh school, police say.
Pittsburgh Public Schools police Chief Robert Fadzen said the student, whose identity wasn't reported, was suspended after a teacher found the .45-caliber firearm in his book bag this week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Thursday.
Fadzen said Wednesday's incident began when the boy became involved in a commotion with some of his peers at Pittsburgh Northview PreK-5.
"One of them said, 'he's got something in his book bag,' so she goes to his locker and opens his book bag," Fadzen said in reference to the other involved students.
After finding the firearm, which the boy said was stored in his family's home by an uncle, the teacher contacted police, who are considering filing charges against the child.
Fadzen warned there is another side to the incident that needs to be considered by authorities.
"(The boy) is sort of a victim here himself," he told the Post-Gazette. "We need to deal with his home issues, his mental health issues."
