TEXARKANA, Texas -- A grandmother and her 16-year-old grandson have been arrested after an argument between the boy and a fellow student at school ended with off-campus gunfire.
Helen Marie Sanders, 71, and her grandson are charged with deadly conduct after an altercation with another teenager, 15, and his grandmother Tuesday at Sanders' home on Casteel Street.
The two boys, students at Texas High School, were suspended from school and sent home after fighting, according to a Texarkana Texas Police Department news release.
"The other boy's grandmother decided that it would be a good idea to take him to Sanders' house to put an end to the problems. When they got there, an argument broke out between the two groups," the release states.
During the argument, Sanders went into her house and returned with a 9mm pistol, which she then handed to her grandson, TTDP spokesman Shawn Vaughn said Thursday.
"He started threatening them with it and then shot one round at the victims' car as they drove away from him," the report states.
Vaughn said it does not appear the vehicle was struck by the bullet.
The other grandmother and grandson called 911. When officers arrived at Sanders' home a few minutes later, they spoke to her and the grandson and confiscated the pistol from her house.
Sanders was booked into the Bi-State Detention Center. She was released Wednesday on a $7,500 bond.
Sanders' grandson was taken to the juvenile detention center.
The other grandmother and grandson have not been charged with a crime, Vaughn said.
In a request for comment from the Gazette, Texarkana Independent School District shared its position on the investigation.
"The district is prohibited from sharing any disciplinary information regarding a student. Incidents that happen off-campus are not under the purview or authority of the school district," Communications Director Todd Marshall said.
A similar situation just over a year ago resulted in the death of another Texas High student.
On Oct. 25, 2021, students Kamorion Lamar Meachem and Ulises Martinez got into an argument in the school cafeteria. Reportedly, the argument was over a juice box.
Later that day, Martinez, allegedly responding to text messages from Meachem, drove to Meachem's home on Sidney Drive. During a reported brawl in the street between Martinez and his companions and Meachem's siblings, Meachem shot and killed Martinez, who was 17.
In December 2022, Meachem was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison.