NEWTON COUNTY — A student at Newton & College Career Academy was arrested on two felony and three misdemeanor charges after he allegedly brought a gun to school in his backpack.

Joseph Henry Thompson, 17, reportedly went missing after running out of the school on April 16, leaving his shoes and backpack behind. It is not clear why he left the school.

According to a narrative from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Thompson’s family made a missing persons report on April 19 after he missed the prom the night prior. Deputies responded to the area across the street across the school shortly after but Thompson was not located, despite searches from on-foot deputies and canine dogs.

Deputies searched Thompson’s backpack where they located a firearm. Official charges were then filed.

In a narrative from the NCSO, deputies used cell phone data that tracked the iCloud activity from Thompson. This led to a discovery of an IP address in Snellville.

“This led investigators to believe that he was alive and well and had been accessing his iCloud account, and an attempt was made to find his phone,” Thompson said. “There were six different phones used to access the iCloud account.”

While no further information was provided in the narrative about Thompson’s whereabouts, his arrest records show that he turned himself into the Newton County Jail on April 21.

Thompson was charged with carrying a weapon in a school zone and purchase, possession, manufacture or distribution of the sale of marijuana — both felonies. He also faces misdemeanor charges of possession and use of drug related objects, possession of a pistol or revolver under the age of 18 (first offense) and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.

Thompson is not listed as a current inmate, according to the NCSO’s jail roster, which indicates he has been released from custody.