LA PORTE, Texas – A man is in custody and the all-clear has been given after La Porte and Deer Park school districts were on heightened alert due to a threat made by the man to a local elementary school.
La Porte police said they were investigating what they called a "noteworthy but not yet credible non-specific threat" against an area elementary school.
The threat was received shortly before 9am, and at 10am a shelter-in-place drill was ordered for one hour.
La Porte police also said they increased patrol presence at all seven La Porte ISD elementary schools.
Deer Park ISD said although no specific threat was made to Deer Park schools, the district was on high alert. Security was increased and all outdoor activities were canceled.
At around noon, the all-clear was given at both La Porte and Deer Park ISD schools.
La Porte police tell us they were able to trace the threat phone calls to a Holiday Inn in the 900 block of W. G Street, where they took one man into custody with the assistance of the FBI.
Authorities said the adult male suspect called in a threat that he had an AK-47 and was going to shoot up a local elementary school.
The man didn't say which school, or even which school district, but after police traced the call, they took precautionary measures with schools in the surrounding area, which included La Porte and Deer Park ISD schools.
No weapon was found when the suspect was arrested.
The suspect is still being questioned at the La Porte Police Department. He has not been charged yet, and for that reason police say they aren't releasing any information about him, except to say he's an adult male.
Investigators say the threatening call was made to a local help hotline, but they aren't revealing which one.
La Porte ISD says the district tries to be as prepared as it can to handle an active shooter situation. The district works closely with La Porte police and the city's Office of Emergency Management during emergency or crisis training.