Police say an 8-year-old student brought a gun to school Thursday morning in East New York.

The gun was found in the male student's backpack at P.S. 158 and was not loaded, authorities say. The boy accused of carrying the firearm is in custody.

Investigators say that a parent showed up to tell school officials that yesterday their child got 'medicine' from another student and that same student is the one that was caught with the firearm.

Parents tell News 12 that they weren't notified by the school about the firearm, and that the school was already scheduled for a half-day due to parent-teacher conferences.

"It's just that the parents aren't searching for their kid before they go to school," said parent Antoine Anthony. "They have got to search these kids' bags."

No one has been arrested or charged at this time and police are continuing to investigate the incident.

The Department of Education provided the following statement in response to the gun that was found:

“Guns have absolutely no place in the hands of our young people, and this incident is a deeply concerning example of the consequences of the proliferation of guns in our society and in our city. It’s extremely worrying when a child this young has access to such a dangerous weapon, and we are grateful for the partnership of our school communities in keeping our young people safe each day. All safety procedures were followed in response to this incident, and all students and staff are safe. We’re working closely with NYPD and ACS follow-up actions, and to ensure this young person receives they supports they need.”