HUDSON, Fla. (WFLA) – A Hudson Elementary School 3rd grader is being hailed a hero after he spotted a classmate who brought a loaded gun to school, and then came forward to report it.

“I know it’s the right thing to do,” said Blake Johnson.

The third-grader got a pass to go to the bathroom there, he met up with three other students.

“I just said, what’s in the bag? And then the kids respond and said, it’s a gun. And then I said, can I see it? And he pulled it out” said Blake.

Another student, just 8-years-old, took the handgun out of the backpack and showed it off. Blake waited for the other students to return to their classroom.

“I told the security officer that kid had a gun and then I told him which backpack and the kid,” he said.

“Sure enough, whenever the backpack was searched, the school security guard found a loaded 9 millimeter Sig Sauer handgun,” said Capt. Chris Beaman with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.

Captain Beaman points out, everybody did their job, from Blake, the security guard, to administrators.

“It frustrates me as a law enforcement officer who started this profession to protect, to even think of a possibility of what could have happened,” said Captain Beaman.

The school principal sent out a message to parents, explaining what happened.

Blake’s mom is very happy it all turned out so well. “I’m very proud of my baby. He made the right choices. He’s a hero” said Laynie Johnson.

When Pasco deputies visited their apartment, they had a message for Blake.

“They called me a hero,” said Blake.

The 8-year-old with the gun will likely be suspended for 10 days and may face expulsion.

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