A student was found with a handgun Tuesday, Nov. 14 at Irmo High School.

Per the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, which responded to the incident, the student in question was a 14-year-old female, whose identity is being withheld due to her being under 18. She is charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds and was transported to the state Department of Juvenile Justice after being charged and remained in their custody as of Wednesday afternoon.

According to a provided incident report, a school resource officer assigned to Irmo High searched the student’s book bag and found the handgun after receiving a report that they were in possession of a firearm.

“Following the report, both school administration and law enforcement immediately took appropriate action,” Principal Kaaren Hampton writes in an email to families, informing them of the incident. “We have deemed this an isolated incident and the appropriate disciplinary procedures are being followed.”

The district declined to provide any additional clarity on what disciplinary actions will be taken.

“At Irmo High School, we aim to keep our staff and families well informed, work hard to ensure a safe learning environment at our school and work closely with law enforcement to make safety our top priority,” the principal writes. “We encourage all students to utilize the STOPit app or talk to a trusted adult if they see or hear anything of concern. Thank you for your support, and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.”