A gun that a first-grader brought to a St. Paul elementary school fired one round in a class full of students Thursday morning, police and the School District said. No one was injured.
Some parents first learned of the incident at Crossroads Elementary when Council Member Amy Brendmoen wrote about it on the Como Neighbors Fun Stuff page.
Police spokesman Sgt. Mike Ernster said his department was alerted at 8:40 a.m. that a 7-year-old student brought a handgun to the school, part of which is Montessori-based.
A statement issued later by police said the gun went off in a classroom full of students. "Thankfully, no one was hurt," it said.
The statement added that the student who brought the gun to school and his family are fully cooperating as police sort out who owns the gun, how the child got a hold of it and how it could have been prevented.
"Today we got lucky," the statement read, "but this incident should still serve as a powerful reminder to anyone who owns a gun to keep it safe, secure and out of the hands of children."
St. Paul School District spokeswoman Toya Stewart Downey said staff confiscated the weapon right away.
Downey added that no threats were directed at staff and students in connection with the gun being in the building. The principal e-mailed a letter to Crossroads families.