Mirror staff reports:

A student at Federal Way High School was expelled after an unloaded gun was discovered in his backpack.

In a letter to parents on Tuesday, Principal Lisa Griebel said the weapon was discovered at the end of the school day Feb. 22 during a search of some students’ lockers. The search initially began as an investigation into a potential violation of the school district’s alcohol policy.

No ammunition was found in the gun, in the backpack, or in the student’s locker, the district reports. The student was taken into police custody and has been expelled. The student’s name and the type of weapon have not been disclosed.

“The situation was resolved with little to no impact on the school day for the rest of the students,” Griebel wrote.

Also in her letter, Griebel urged parents to watch for signs of alcohol abuse in their children. The school’s security has noticed a trend since the passage of a Washington state law that allowed grocery stores to sell alcohol, she wrote.

“There seems to be far more alcohol in young people’s possession than ever before,” Griebel wrote. “We can’t speculate the precise reason, but urge parents to be alert to signs of possible alcohol use by your children.”