KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Roughly an hour after Knoxville Police announced that a gun had discharged in a student’s backpack at West High School, Knox County Schools administrators described what safety measures are used to keep students safe to the media.

Knoxville Police said the gun discharge was not intentional and happened in the student’s backpack. The teacher, who was grazed by either the bullet or a bullet fragment, had very minor injuries. An update from the police department said the 14-year-old student was charged.

KCS Security Chief Jason Periard said they were first alerted to an incident in a classroom at 9:20 a.m. through their crisis management system because of a sound. Law enforcement and security responded in seconds after the alert, Periard said.

Periard explained that the system is used to communicate and “get information to the right people” in the school, local law enforcement, and emergency management.

Superintendent Jon Rysewyk said safety is KCS’s number one concern, adding that the school system had been working with Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Knoxville Police Department and Police Chief Paul Noel to ensure student safety. Rysewyk said he’s thankful for the staff who did what they were supposed to through the medium lockdown and dismissal, as well as student’s families for their response.

A spokesperson from KCS confirmed to WATE around 12:30 that students at West High School were being dismissed early while police investigated. The superintendent also explained that the medium lockdown was mainly used to help the dismissal proceed in an orderly manner.

One important question for many is how the student got the gun into school. Officials quickly shared statements showing support for the school and calling for changes to keep the situation from happening again.

Rysewyk explained that Knox County Schools currently does not use metal detectors at any of its schools, however, they are able to do random searches and they are always reevaluating the possibility of adding more measures. The challenge the school system faces is maintaining both a safe environment for students and keeping school a “welcoming” and “warm place that people want to be.”

Periard also mentioned that KCS is working to upgrade it’s crisis management system.

“This really highlights the need for more resources and the board and our leadership has just been amazing and getting those resources to me so that we can make Phase 3A reality and phase three will include adding a lot of those real time information sharing networks,” Periard said.

He added that one of those improvements included moving the tip line, where students can share information, to a mobile app. That tip line is monitored 24 hours a day.