SOUTH BEND — A judge decided Friday morning to keep four students from Greene Intermediate School in the Juvenile Justice Center.

Police detained the students on Wednesday after a loaded gun was brought onto a school bus and then taken inside the school.

All four students and their parents went before the judge for a detention hearing Friday morning. Each student was given a chance to tell the judge why they should be released.

The four students were placed in the Juvenile Justice Center on preliminary charges of gun possession and criminal recklessness.

Police say all the kids handled the gun at some point on the bus, but it was the 11-year-old who brought it from his home.

The judge ordered all four students to stay at the JJC until the prosecutor decides whether or not to file charges. The judge said this is necessary not only to protect the kids, but to keep the community safe as well.

"Given the nature of the charges and what might have happened it could have been a tragedy in this community. You have to have a safe environment at the schools and on the buses and in the community for our children," said Bill Bruinsma from the Juvenile Justice Center.

"I don't believe these children should even be here right now. I think all the blame should be on the parent that the kid who brought the gun to school,” said Tim Long, a parent of one of the students.

The prosecutor has ten days to file those charges. If they are not filed, the students will be released.

It was a very emotional day for the families of these kids since they'll be spending the holidays at the Juvenile Justice Center.