A South Pittsburg High School student was arrested Thursday after making verbal threats to "shoot up" the school, Marion County, Tenn., officials confirmed.
The student was taken to the Marion County Juvenile Hall, sheriff Ronnie Burnett said.
Marion County Director of Schools Mark Griffith said administrators at the high school contacted him Thursday morning to tell him they were in the early stages of investigating possible threats made by a 17-year-old boy.
The boy told classmates at the breakfast table Thursday that he was planning to bring a gun to school the following regular class day, Griffith said, adding that today is a staff development day.
The school resource officer learned in his investigation that the student made the threats, the superintendent said, at which point the student was taken into custody.
Griffith said the student has been expelled for 365 days, pending a disciplinary hearing next week, which is required as part of a students' due process.
After the hearing, the disciplinary hearing authorities will make a recommendation to Griffith. He will then decide to either to amend or uphold the decision.