Officials staggered the release of students Tuesday afternoon after police placed the school, located at 231 N. Pine, on lockdown.
The principal sent a letter home with all of the students explaining the situation to parents.
"They ain't telling us -- the principal, she was just, like, that one of the students had a weapon. And that we was back on lockdown. That is all they told us. And towards the end of the day they brought us this letter," said Ashley Hardmon, Austin student.
"We was up in class and they told us that we could not leave because there was a lockdown. And when my mamma called up there, they said someone had brung a gun up in the building," said Laverne Churchill, Austin student.
The suspect- who faces charges of unlawful use of a weapon, possession and firearm in a school- was transported to a juvenile detention center. No one else has been charged.
Officials said the building does have metal detectors.
