BATTLE CREEK, MI -- A gun was found in an elementary student’s backpack last week at a Battle Creek-area school.

The Lakeview School District told parents that a teacher found a gun in a 7-year-old student’s backpack Wednesday, Oct. 23, when placing papers in the bag at Prairieview Elementary School, according to a letter sent to parents and shared with MLive Friday, Nov. 1.

The weapon was recovered without incident and investigation determined that the student did not put the gun in the bag and had not planned to bring it to school to do any harm, the district said.

“No student saw the weapon and at no point did the weapon leave the backpack," the district said. “This is a very unfortunate incident, but there is no indication that there was ever any intent to cause harm.”

The matter has been turned over to the Battle Creek Police Department and Child Protective Services, the district said.

The staff member who found the gun followed district policy and responded “in a manner to help keep our school family safe,” the district said.

The district sent the letter to parents the evening of the incident, Communications Director Wendy Meyer said in an email to MLive. The content of the letter sent to parents is below: