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Public school district officials in Grand Rapids, Mich., say they have banned students from wearing backpacks following the fourth confiscation of a firearm so far this school year.

District officials made what they called a "difficult decision" on Wednesday after a loaded handgun was discovered in the backpack of a third-grade student. Three of the four incidents involved weapons hidden in backpacks.

"This is not a decision we've taken lightly and we know this poses a significant inconvenience for our families," Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Leadriane Roby said in a statement.

"I am more than frustrated that a decision like this is necessary, but we must put safety first and that's what this decision is about," she said. "This is just one step in an ongoing conversation about how we can best protect our children in our rapidly-changing world."

Roby said the backpack ban is to remain in effect through the end of the school year, adding that school safety protocols and supporting technology are being "enhanced."

Larry Johnson, the district's executive director of public safety and school security, told reporters the gun was discovered at Stocking Elementary School when an 8-year-old student dropped their backpack and a fellow student realized it was heavier than it should have been.

Wednesday's incident followed the previous gun discovery by just a week, he noted, calling the proliferation of firearms "a crisis in our community, a crisis in our country, and we want folks to know what's happened in Grand Rapids right now."

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