Boy in custody after bringing unloaded gun to school in the Bronx

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A 13-year-old brought an unloaded gun into his middle school in the Bronx Thursday morning, authorities said.

The incident happened at the Bronx Park Middle School, one of several schools housed at MS 135 on Wallace Avenue.

Police said a paraprofessional who works at the school overheard a conversation Wednesday that the boy might be bringing a gun to the school. When the student arrived Thursday, he was stopped and his backpack searched, and the silver revolver was recovered.

The boy will likely be charged as a juvenile and released to his parents.

The Education Department released a statement:

"Nothing is more important than the safety of students and staff. The NYPD immediately responded and safely recovered an unloaded gun from Bronx Park Middle School. Students and staff are safe, families are being notified, and we are supporting the school to ensure appropriate follow-up action is swiftly taken."

The incident happened a week after two students were stabbed , one fatally, at another school in the Bronx.

Metal detectors were installed at that school after the deadly incident, but there are no scanners at the MS 135 building. Only 6 percent of city school buildings have metal detectors, and the NYPD recently reported that the number of weapons recovered at schools is up 48 percent compared with this time last year. Police say the vast majority of the seizures come from tips to police and school safety officers.

Still, some parents were taking no chances, pulling their children from school upon hearing the news.

"I should have been notified," parent Lourdes Rodriguez said. "I don't care if it was on a different floor. I should have been notified."

It's crazy," another parent added. "I don't know if I want (my son) here anymore."