BATON ROUGE - Deputies arrested a 16-year-old after he showed up late to a local high school with a loaded gun in his backpack.

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office says the discovery was made around 8:40 a.m. as two students were walking onto campus late. A school resource officer confronted the students.

When the officer asked the Dean of Students to take a look in the students' bags, the 16-year-old fled. He was apprehended, and a loaded 9mm handgun was found in his backpack.

The teen claimed he had found the gun nearby but chose to bring it to school rather than turn it in. Deputies soon discovered the weapon was reported stolen.

The 16-year-old is charged with Illegal Carrying of a Firearm On a School property and Illegal Possession of a Stolen Firearm.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System released the following statement Wednesday afternoon:

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System was notified that a student attempted to bring a weapon on campus today at McKinley High School. As the student approached campus, administrators and law enforcement conducted a search and a gun was confiscated. The student will be charged and disciplined in accordance with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Please help us educate your children about the dangers and consequences of bringing any type of weapon on school grounds. All such incidents are taken extremely seriously and the safety of our students and faculty is our top priority.

"I'd like to applaud the quick thinking and action taken by McKinley High administration and law enforcement that prevented a weapon from being introduced into the school environment," Superintendent Warren Drake said. "Today is an example of how training and preparation maintained the safety of our students and staff."