YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown girl, 11, found to have a loaded gun while riding a school bus from St. Joseph the Provider School on the North Side, said she brought her mother’s gun with her to school because she was “tired of being picked on all the time.”

Youngstown police were called to West Wood Street and Wick Avenue near Youngstown State University at 2:37 p.m. Monday after the bus driver reported the incident to police and took possession of the gun from the student.

The girl was on a city school bus that was taking students home. A Youngstown police report states that when officers arrived at the bus, the driver was holding the handgun and the girl was still on the bus. The driver said another student approached him and said the girl had a gun in her bag.

The driver said he asked the girl about it, and she admitted it was in her bag. He took possession of it but did not “manipulate it in any way.”

Officers stated that the gun had a magazine in it holding four bullets but none in the chamber. It was identified in the police report as a G43, GLOCK single stack, 9 mm Luger caliber pistol.

According to the manufacturer’s website, it is ultra-concealable, accurate tool for all shooters regardless of one’s hand size. The large magazine catch makes quick work of removing the six-round magazine. It’s described by the manufacturer as “tiny.”

The girl was taken from the bus and taken to the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center, after officials said they would accept her. She was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and illegal conveyance or possession of a deadly weapon in a school safety zone.

Police were initially unable to contact the girl’s mother, the report states.

Monsignor John Zuraw, vicar general of the Diocese of Youngstown, said Monday that the matter is being handled by the school administration and Youngstown police.

St. Joseph the Provider School is a K-8 school within the Youngstown Diocese. It is located on Turin Avenue on the North Side and is attached to St. Anthony Church.

It is one of two K-8 schools in Youngstown within the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.

erunyan@vindy.com