A boy of FIVE is being held in police custody after a gun was fired in a school canteen.
Sky News reports that the gun went off in the child's backpack at Westside Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee.
His school said no one was hurt and that officers from Memphis Police Department took the boy in for questioning.
Shocked mums and dads said mental detectors should now be put in place at the 400-pupil school to prevent children bringing weapons into the building.
"I want to get my baby out of here and get her home - that's what's going through my head now," one worried mother told the WHBQ-TV station.
A spokesman for the Shelby County Board of Education confirmed the incident had happened, and that boy was being disciplined.
"This morning at Westside Elementary School, a Kindergarten student brought a firearm to school in his backpack. While waiting for the opening bell in the cafeteria, the firearm discharged accidentally inside the child's backpack," he said.
"Nobody was injured, and staff immediately took possession of the backpack. There is no evidence at this time of harmful intent; however, weapons of any kind are prohibited on campuses, and this student will be disciplined in accordance with the state's zero tolerance policy."
He added that the 'safety of our students and staff is of the utmost importance' and that "staff are trained to handle emergency situations'.
"All students were kept safe and calm while this matter was handled," he said.