NEWMARKET - The junior/senior high school was put into a lockdown on Thursday afternoon when a bullet was found in the boys’ locker room.

Superintendent James Hayes said a single .22 caliber bullet was found underneath a bench in the locker room and the school was put into a “shelter in place” lockdown while police searched lockers, classrooms, backpacks and purses.

“They came up without any other issues and we were able to complete that before school dismissed around 2:30,” Hayes said.

He said a student acknowledged he was responsible for the bullet being there, and said it was purely an accident.

He had been at target practice the night before and happened to have a bullet in his pocket.

Hayes said there does not appear to be any malicious intent behind it, but the incident is still being investigated.

“Any kind of weapon or threat is a concern for us and we look at it seriously and decide the proper way to handle it,” Hayes said.

Parents were notified of the lock-down via an “AlertNOW” phone call on Thursday evening, Hayes said.