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SOQUEL — A Soquel High School senior was taken out of class and arrested Thursday after he was found with a loaded handgun in his backpack, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Sgt. Chris Clark said.

According to Clark, school officials caught wind of social media posts stating Andrew Sullano, 18, had a gun. School officials then alerted the School Resource Officer, which in the unincorporated areas of the county are sheriff’s deputies.

The resource officer and security officer went to the student’s class and found the gun in his backpack.

It is not clear whether Sullano is still enrolled in classes. Santa Cruz City School District Superintendent Kris Munro and Soquel High School Principal Gail Atlansky did not return calls for comment.

Nancy Lentz of Santa Cruz City School District said she could not comment on specific students, but said that California school code requires mandatory expulsion for students who bring weapons to school.

According to Clark, Sullano told investigators that he carried the gun for protection. Nobody was hurt.

“We don’t believe at this time there was any threat to a specific student on campus,” Clark said.

A subsequent search of Sullano’s home turned up more ammunition, along with a shotgun. Investigators also found methamphetamine and marijuana.

He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Sullano faces charges of being a felon possession of a gun, having a gun at a school and drug possession.

Clark credited the quick actions of the resource officer, and praised the School Resource Officer program.

“We have deputies at all of our schools, and they are there full-time,” he said. “You never want anything like that to happen when you have your kid going there.

“In this situation the system worked,” Clark said.