Staff at Hillcrest High School found a firearm in a student's backpack Wednesday during an unrelated search, according to a message sent to parents.

Principal Jeff Hinton said staff members were investigating a separate issue and recovered a gun from a backpack. They called the discovery "completely coincidental" and said the original issue did not relate to a gun or any kind of weapon.

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Hinton said there was not a bullet in the chamber of the gun, but there was a magazine loaded with bullets found alongside the weapon.

The Hillcrest school resource officer responded to the area where the gun was found and outside law enforcement came to the school to investigate.

According to Hinton's message, few details about the incident will be released because an investigation is still ongoing, but he reminded parents and students alike that bringing a firearm to school for any reason will have severe consequences.

The school also reminded parents and students to contact a school administrator or law enforcement with any information regarding a school safety issue, and that the see-something, say-something policy keeps schools and students secure.

The discovery comes after a student was found with a gun and magazine at Hillcrest in September.

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