Mom speaks out after son takes loaded gun to school

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 17-year-old Houston Can Academy student appeared in court today after authorities say he was caught with a gun in his backpack on Feb 15.

"It wasn't anything intentional that he had planned for the school. It was just a bad situation that spilled over," the boy's mother, Myra Smith, said.

Investigators identified the suspect as Jaquinn Alani Smith, who is now facing a charge of carrying a weapon in a prohibited place.

Houston Can Academy was briefly placed on lockdown as police raced to find Jaquinn, who they say tried to flee the campus.

The incident occurred just one day after 17 people were killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

"He didn't even know what happened until our situation, and everybody came pointing in our face saying this happened, why would you do this right after that?" Smith said.

Prosecutors say Jaquinn will be tried as an adult for allegedly bringing a gun to school.

"Years ago, maybe they could get away with saying, 'I just meant it as a joke.' Not today. Not in 2018. Not when 17 children are innocently slaughtered. It's not going to happen here," said John Jordan, head of the District Attorney's juvenile division.

Jordan also said school threats were up across Harris County.

"They all think, 'I can say whatever I want. I have freedom of speech.' No you don't. There are certain crimes, by the mere fact of saying it, you have committed up to a third-degree felony," Jordan explained.