An 8-year-old Ohio boy who had an unloaded gun in his backpack has told police he brought the weapon to his elementary school because he thought another student was going to hurt him.

The Springfield News-Sun reports that a teacher at Springfield's Simon Kenton Elementary School found the gun Tuesday afternoon while putting homework into the backpack. No one was hurt. Police responded to the school, and the boy was taken into custody.

The superintendent says the boy will be disciplined according to the district's student code of conduct. Police say the child also could face a charge for having a deadly weapon in a school safety zone.The incident took place less than a week after 17 people were killed at a school in Florida, as thousands attend protests to demand stricter gun control laws.

Democrats attempted to get a bill to ban assault rifles and large-capacity magazines heard on the House floor on Tuesday. Republicans, who dominate the chamber, easily dismissed it. Students who were at the Capitol ahead of their classmates who arrived late Tuesday found Republicans steered the conversation away from gun restrictions.