HOUSTON – Police with the Houston Independent School District are investigating reports that a student at Jenard Gross Elementary took a gun and bullets to school in his backpack Thursday and showed them to other students.
The district sent out an audio message to parents on Friday. It said in part, "This morning, the school received reports that a student brought a gun and bullets to school on Thursday. The principal immediately notified HISD police, detained and questioned the student and placed the school in secure mode while officers conducted a thorough search."
The message went on to tell parents that the school was searched and no weapons were found. That message meant some parents lined up outside even before school let out.
Mother, Rosa Lumahan, said, "It's scary. That's why I came in here early. Goodness. And I have girls. What are the parents doing? They're not keeping an eye on their kids. There could have been an accident in there."
Others had not heard about the investigation or the student who is now in trouble.
"That's scary," grandmother Regina Porter said. "Too scary. For a baby to bring a gun. These are still babies. That's not good at all. That is so scary."
The school district sent a letter home to parents. It said the student will be disciplined and will be charged with exhibition of a firearm.
The recorded message was apparently not only sent to parents of students at Gross Elementary, but to other parents in the district as well. Late Friday afternoon, HISD sent out a message explaining that the alert was intended only for the parents of students at Gross Elementary.
HISD released the following statement Friday:
"This morning, Gross Elementary School administrators received reports that a student had brought a gun and bullets to school on Thursday and showed the items to other students. School officials immediately notified HISD Police, detained and questioned the student and placed the school in secure mode while officers conducted a thorough search. Thankfully, no weapons were found. The safety of our students and staff is always our absolute top priority. Appropriate disciplinary action is being taken, per the HISD Student Code of Conduct. The student also will be charged with exhibition of a firearm."
We'll have more on this story on KPRC2 News.