Enfield police were called en masse to Prudence Crandall School late Tuesday morning after a report that a child had brought a gun into the school in a backpack.
A teacher who was checking the backpack of a fifth-grade student found what appeared to be a gun, and police were immediately notified, Police Chief Carl Sferrazza said.
The gun turned out to be a plastic replica of a small semi-automatic weapon, "which was not capable of firing at all," Sferrazza said.
At no time did the student brandish the piece or show it to anyone, Sferrazza said.
"It is important for the community to understand that at no time was there any risk with this particular incident," the chief added.