Mesa high school student brought gun to campus, police say

MESA, Ariz. - A Red Mountain High School student now faces several felony charges after he was caught with a gun in his backpack, Mesa police said.

School staff called Mesa officers at around 2:50 p.m. on Thursday after someone reported that a student had a gun.

When staff members located and tried to walk the student to the office, he reportedly fled campus.

A school resource officer followed the teen into a desert area near Red Mountain Park, and several backup officers eventually arrived to take the student into custody.

"A weapon matching the description of the one the student had in his backpack, was found by police close to where he was taken into custody," said Sgt. Richard Encinas with Mesa PD.

Police say the student never removed the gun from his backpack, didn't make any threats, and that there was no plan to use it.

"There does not appear to be any credible threat to the school or the students," Encinas said.

The teen was booked into the juvenile detention center.

Red Mountain High was locked down as a precaution during the incident.