EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a press statment issued by the Public Schools of Robeson County:

PEMBROKE — A 10th-grade Purnell Swett High School student has been suspended for possessing a gun.

The 16-year-old male student was suspended after school administration conducted an investigation following a social media post that included a photo of the student holding a gun while traveling on a bus on Friday.

The results of the investigation indicated the student did possess a weapon. There were no injuries.

The student will be suspended from school for an initial 10 days with the recommendation for a 365-day suspension.

The Public Schools of Robeson County’s Policy 4333 outlines prohibited behaviors and threats to safety and clearly states that such behaviors will not be tolerated.

“We take incidents like this very seriously,” said PSRC Chief Communications Officer Jessica Sealey.

“Individuals who violate board policies and put the safety of others at risk will face consequences for their actions. We continue to encourage students and staff to speak up and report activities they deem suspicious. The safety of every individual across our school district remains our top priority,” she added.