CAYCE, S.C. — An 18-year-old Airport High School student has been arrested after authorities found a gun in his backpack on Monday.
According to the Cayce Police Department, officers were tipped off by the Lexington County Sheriff's Department that 18-year-old Treyvon Arteigas Hampton was one of multiple students from the high school who were believed to have been involved in an altercation and shooting near Gaston on Saturday.
With this in mind, police notified the school which then had officials search the bags of the students in question when they got off the bus.
Cayce Police said the gun, a Glock 19, was loaded when discovered and Hampton has since been charged with a weapons violation and taken to the Lexington County Detention Center.
Cayce Police are also placing additional officers at the school.
Cayce Chief Chris Cowan described the intervention on Monday as a collaborative effort and thanked the officers involved for their quick actions.
"We do not tolerate weapons in our Cayce schools and I am proud of our officers that worked quickly this morning to keep our students and our teachers safe," he said.
The Lexington Two School District added that the student will also face district discipline in accordance with board policy - and South Carolina law.
"Lexington Two does not tolerate weapons on campus or any potential threat to the safety of our students or employees," the district said in a statement. "We ask parents and guardians to remind their students to immediately report to an administrator, teacher, SRO, or other district employee any alleged threats, suspicious activities and/or discussions, as well as anything that just doesn’t seem right."