Authorities say a freshman at Howard High School is facing charges after a .22-caliber handgun was found in a bathroom ceiling.

The Telegraph of Macon reports that the 14-year-old is charged with possession of a weapon on campus and possession of a weapon by someone under 18.

Authorities said students had been talking about a gun possibly brought to school Thursday, and police spent much of the day searching for it. Officials put the school under a "code red" lockdown. Students remained in their classrooms, and the campus was sealed off.

Police say the weapon was not loaded when it was found in the bathroom. School officials said they didn't know why the student might have brought a gun to school or where the weapon was obtained.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez