COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A gun was found inside a student’s vehicle on Wednesday morning at Rock Bridge High School, according to a letter to parents sent by CPS Superintendent Jeff Klein.

The letter says, “A concern was reported to school administrators involving a firearm inside a student’s vehicle in the school’s parking lot.”

Klein wrote that the gun was found “inside a locked area of the vehicle” and that it was “not used in a threatening manner, nor was there any threat of violence made in connection with this incident.”

The letter was sent at 1:47 p.m. Rock Bridge parent Hollie Lessard said she wishes the district would have communicated the situation sooner, since school officials had identified the issue hours before.

Jeff Thompson, whose grandson attends Rock Bridge, said even with the district's reassurance that there was no threat, it is still scary a gun was found on campus.

A student ABC 17 News spoke with as they were leaving school Wednesday said they had no clue about the incident. The student said teachers did not say anything to students about the gun and no announcement was made about increased security measures.

The letter says law enforcement has been notified.

Per district policy, the student that brought the gun onto district property faces the possibility of expulsion or a one-year suspension from the school.

ABC 17 News has reached out to Columbia Public Schools and the Columbia Police Department. CPD referred ABC 17 News back to CPS.