Parents in the South Bay gathered Friday after students were spotted carrying what looked like a gun in two different schools.
In both incidents, the guns ended up being toys, but they created panic and triggered a major police response.
On Tuesday, students at Chaboya Middle School saw a classmate holding what appeared to be a gun after school.
School had already ended for the day when police arrived, but they were able to track down the two boys involved.
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Officers determined the gun was a toy that shoots gel pellets.
The incident came just days after a series of high-profile issues involving weapons at school - including a student stabbed to death in Santa Rosa and another student stabbed and injured in front of Yerba Buena High School in San Jose.
While the weapon may have been fake, the scare was very real.
“Any time we get a report of someone bringing what we even suspect to be a firearm, we’re going to investigate it fully because the number one priority is to keep our community members safe and student safe when they are at school,” said Christian Camarillo of the San Jose Police Department.
Police spoke with the students’ parents, and cited the owner of the toy gun. NBC Bay Area learned the school suspended both boys for five days.
That seemed fair for most parents and grandparents at the meeting Friday.
“That's probably about the right amount. I mean he’s just being a fool. He probably sees a lot of the news and just wants to be a copycat,” said grandparent Bert Renteria.
On Monday, a report of someone with a gun on campus had police rushing to West Valley College in Saratoga.
Witnesses said they saw two men with a rifle.
After a two-hour lockdown, police determined that it was also a replica.
Campus police issued those students a criminal citation and school disciplinary action is also pending.
For officers that day, the gun may have been fake, but the fear, and their response was very real.
“It was real in that there was a potential threat there, and we’re thankful it wasn’t a real active attack on or campus,” said Lieutenant Jeff Profio of the West Valley-Mission Community College District.
Both incidents created panic with police rushing into the unknown.
Now, several students are left to learn a harsh lesson -- that actions always have consequences.
“Never a good idea to bring any type of replica toy firearm to school. We see it time and time again,” said Camarillo.
