A Middle Valley Elementary School student allegedly brought a firearm to campus Monday, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.
In a news release sent Monday afternoon, J. Matt Lea, sheriff's office spokesman, said the student was 10 years old and the gun was found in the student's backpack.
"[The gun] was recovered this morning by a Hamilton County Department of Education school safety officer and turned over to the sheriff's office," Lea said in the statement.
Steve Doremus, Hamilton County Schools communications officer, said in a statement system officials are cooperating with the investigation.
"The safety of Hamilton County Schools students and staff is the highest priority for Hamilton County Schools," Doremus said.
He added the school received information about the contents of the backpack Monday morning and had a school safety officer search it.
"To my knowledge, no other students were aware of the firearm," Doremus told the Chattanooga Times Free Press in a telephone interview. "We will take appropriate steps as warranted by the facts of the case. We have no further details to release at this time."
No further information was released from school administrators or the Sheriff's Office.