An 8th grader in Brownsville, Texas who was shot and killed by police early Wednesday was carrying a pellet gun, CBS News reported on its website. 

The 15-year-old student was later identified as Jamie Gonzalez, who had earlier punched a student in the nose. Police issued a statement later saying two officers fired their weapons at Gonzalez who "ignored" commands to lower his weapon, the Brownsville Herald said.

Gonzalez's grandmother, Norma Leticia Navarro, said she doesn't know what led to the incident, the Associated Press reported.

"I wish I could ask him why he did that," she told the AP, "'Why did you put yourself in that position?'" 

A school administrator at Cummings Middle School noticed the student carrying the gun at around 8 a.m. Wednesday morning and called police, Brownsville police Detective J.J. Trevino said, according to the Associated Press.

Police told the student to put the weapon down, but he failed to comply. Police shot the boy two times.

Gonzalez was taken to the hospital in Brownsville, where he died from his injuries at about 9:15 a.m., the Brownsville Herald reported. An autopsy has been ordered.

Detective Trevino said officers had no information on why the student might have had the gun on him.

"It's still under investigation, as far as how he came about to bringing the weapon or if he encountered anybody or anything else," Trevino said, according to the AP. 

The weapon used was a CO2 .177 caliber pellet pistol similar to Glock semi-automatic, police said in their release.

The campus was on lockdown for two hours following the shooting, and students and employees of the middle school were relocated while officers investigated, the AP reported. 

No one else was hurt in the incident. 

Watch below for the reaction of the school and the boy's father:

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