According to city police, a 15 year old Watertown High School student was arrested Tuesday after brass knuckles were discovered in his locker.

The student's name was not released, but officials said he had recently returned to school after being suspended.

The student was arrested on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon.

It's illegal to possess brass knuckles in New York state.

Officials said they believed the weapon had been in the student's locker for some time.

The arrest came after the Watertown City School District beefed up security at WHS following a flurry of rumors suggested there might be an outbreak of violence in the school.

Superintendent Terry Fralick said there was a specific rumor that someone was going to bring a gun to school Tuesday.

The school used city police officers and sheriff deputies to bolster security as a precaution.

Everything was quiet at WHS Tuesday, but more than half the students stayed home.

Fralick said more than 600 students were absent.

He also said attendance was noticeably down at Case Middle School as well as Wiley Intermediate School.

Fralick said two fights among students last week led to ten suspensions.

Those incidents apparently touched off the wave of rumors.

"We still cannot find a direct link to one individual or any particular individual who started this rumor," said Fralick.

Fralick is confident everything will return to normal, but said the use of Facebook and cell phone texting to spread rumors has "created a whole new level of angst."

Watertown Police Chief Joe Goss said the people behind the rumors could face criminal charges.

Police and school officials said it's safe to go to school, but added that stepped-up security will continue.

"For the remainder of this week we will have some extra patrols in this vicinity," said Goss.

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