Texarkana ISD investigating second gun at Texas Middle School in five weeks

District mum on gun’s owner

(Stock photo)
(Stock photo)


TEXARKANA, Texas -- Texarkana Independent School District's police department is investigating the discovery of a firearm at Texas Middle School on Monday, a teacher work day.

Cleaning staff found the firearm in a conference room Monday morning. TMS Principal Shawn Davis said no one was in the room and that a threat was not made.

The district's chief communication officer, Todd Marshall, said TISD's police department confirmed the owner and type of firearm but cannot provide specifics at this time.

"We followed all protocols, worked with TISD law enforcement, and confirmed how the firearm got in the room. We are taking appropriate action and cannot provide any additional details due to privacy issues," Davis said in an email to parents and guardians of students.

Marshall said he could not detail the nature or extent of the "appropriate action" but that law enforcement has legal statutes they follow.

"The district utilizes a safety and security master plan, which includes requirements and tasks from the state of Texas, specific to the event. Specifically, at the onset of a report representing this matter, TISD Police, district and campus administration are notified immediately, with administration cooperating with TISD Police as they conduct an investigation," Marshall said.

This comes a month after a March 8 incident involving a student saying they brought a firearm to TMS. Administrators were made aware of that incident after the school day was completed.

The investigation was closed by March 24, two weeks after the incident occurred, with the student receiving disciplinary action, which was not disclosed due to the age of the student, according to TISD.

Marshall said student and staff safety is the district's highest priority and that the police department has nine police officers and six security guards, with three officers and one security guard stationed at TMS.

"The district utilizes a Safety Advisory Committee, composed of individuals representing students, staff, parents, security experts and community members, who work with district personnel to evaluate current systems and protocols, and additional measures that could further support our efforts," Marshall said.

Marshall also said each window and entry door is equipped with impact-resistant security film that prevents it from shattering when a high-impact object hits it.

"Each campus has comprehensive safety protocols that include access control to all campuses and buildings, security cameras, AI-Phones -- and fencing projects are getting underway," Marshall said.

Texarkana Texas Police Department's public information officer, Shawn Vaughn, said the department was not involved with TISD's investigation into Monday's incident.


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