GALENA PARK, Texas – Authorities have given the all-clear at a Galena Park Independent School District high school after a suspicious package was found on the campus.
Galena Park ISD said the suspicious package was found hanging in a tree near Galena Park High School around 9 a.m. Monday.
The district said more than 1,000 students and staff were evacuated from the building.
"They rushed every body out of the school," said ninth grader Tytiana Butler. "We had to sit on the bleachers for hours. Some people went to the middle school and some went to the elementary school."
They were first moved outside to the soccer field, but were then moved to nearby middle and elementary schools for safety reasons.
"We moved them into our local schools, an elementary school and middle school, so there could be air conditioning and easier access to water," said Jonathon Frey, Galena Park ISD spokesman.
Parents soon rushed to the schools to check on their children.
Galena Park ISD said law enforcement, including Galena Park police, and other emergency response teams were notified and were at the school investigating.
"Safety is our top priority and everything we did today was a result of trying to maintain the safety of all of our faculty and students," said Frey.
Investigators said the box in the tree did not contain anything dangerous inside.
The all-clear was given around 1 p.m.
Parents were allowed to take their children home, but most students walked back to the high school and resumed their classes for the remainder of the day.
The school is located at 1000 Keene Street, just east of the 610 East Loop.