EL CAJON–Sheriff’s deputies Friday arrested student at Valhalla High School in Rancho San Diego for possession of a firearm on campus.  

The incident occurred at around 2:15 p.m. at the campus, located at 1725 Hillsdale Road, San Diego County Sheriff’s Sgt. Matt Cook said.

A Valhalla High School resource officer was on duty when a student reported seeing a male student with a handgun and a loaded magazine inside his class room. The suspect student left Valhalla shortly after the weapon was observed. The officer broadcasted a description of the suspect and a direction of travel.  

The suspect student was later observed walking away from the school and was detained by deputies pending further investigation. The student was not in possession of a weapon and claimed not to have had one. Deputies checked the surrounding areas for the handgun without success. The student was initially transported to his residence to be released to his mother when school staff located the weapon and a loaded magazine on campus. The magazine had 1-round in it and was inserted backwards into the handgun.

The student was arrested and taken to Rancho San Diego Station for processing and later booked into Juvenile Hall.