Officer placed own gun in child's bag

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - 10 On Your Side has learned the parent who allegedly accidentally put a gun inside of her daughter's backpack is a Norfolk police officer.

According to a letter  sent to parents and guardians of students at Faith Academy School of Excellence Wednesday, a student approached a teacher that she found a gun inside of her backpack and said she did not know how it got there Tuesday afternoon.

The student's parent told administrators she accidentally placed the gun inside of her daughter's backpack instead of her own. She said both backpacks were in the front seat of her car.

The weapon was unloaded and no one was hurt. According to the letter "appropriate action" was taken when the child's mother was contacted.

WAVY.com found out the child's mother is a Norfolk police officer.

Administrators with the school did not return phone calls from 10 On Your Side Friday.

If FASE were a public school, the student would have been suspended for at least one year, according to Norfolk Public School Board Policy stating:

"Carrying... any firearm... in any school building... is mandatory expulsion for at least one year... including unloaded firearms"

NPS could not say what would happen to the parent or student in this specific case because the mother said she accidentally placed the gun in backpack and the daughter did not know about it.

Additionally, schools in Virginia, public or private, have "zero tolerance" for guns. 

"If any person possesses any firearm... in any school including a private or religious elementary school... shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony."
Norfolk Police Spokesperson Chris Amos would not comment on the case but issued the following statement:

"The officer was not on duty at the time and the gun found was her personal firearm and not city issued.

The mother is under investigation by the Norfolk Police Department.