Ledyard — After a 17-year-old Ledyard High School student stated, roughly, "I could buy an AR-15," police became involved, and the student has been referred to juvenile court on charges of second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace, Ledyard police said in a news release.

The comment was made at the beginning of a first-period class, Principal Amanda Fagan wrote in a letter to parents.

"The offense is akin to joking about a bomb in the airport," she wrote. "One simply doesn't do it."

Just after 9 a.m. on Thursday, high school administration called the Ledyard Police Department and asked for assistance in the matter, police said.

Fagan said in her letter that the student doesn't have access to firearms at home and there was never any threat to the safety of the student's peers, or to teachers. She added that the student did not "specifically threaten to do harm but rather referenced the purchase of a weapon."

Fagan said the purpose of her message was to counter false information posted about the incident on social media. Moving forward, she encouraged anyone with a question to reach out to her by phone, email or in person, saying she is "happy to clarify or verify information as appropriate."