Colbert County Schools announced an elementary student was found Thursday morning with a firearm.

According to a statement from Superintendent Chris Hand, a firearm was found in the backpack of an elementary school student at Cherokee Elementary in Cherokee at the start of the school day.

The firearm was secured by a teacher, the school principal and the school resource officer, Hand said.

Both the school and Cherokee High School were placed in a state of “heightened awareness” which was later withdrawn. According to the school, at no time was it in lockdown.

“The student involved in this incident, along with the weapon, have been removed from the campus and turned over to law enforcement officials,” Hand said.