FERRIDAY — A gun scare at Ferriday Upper Elementary School last week turned out to be a fake weapon, school officials said.

A concerned citizen called The Natchez Democrat Wednesday wanting to know more about the incident that they said included a third-grader bringing a gun to Ferriday Upper Elementary and pointing it at another child.

Concordia Parish Superintendent Whest Shirley said a student at the school brought an item to school that had been mistaken for a weapon by school personnel. However, the item turned out not to be a real weapon, Shirley said, adding it had been taken away and no legal charges were involved.

“There was no real weapon involved,” Shirley said. “However, we did have a situation that we took seriously.”

Shirley said he would not comment on any disciplinary actions taken against a student, and reminded that all real or fake weapons and drugs are prohibited at school campuses or events.

“If a student brings a fake weapon to school, or tries to sell fake drugs, we assume that they are trying to sell real drugs or use a real weapon, and we punish the students accordingly,” Shirley said.