MESQUITE, Texas — School officials from the Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy in Mesquite faced tough questions Thursday night as parents inquired about the campus' response to a 16-year-old student bringing a gun to school on Monday.
That incident ended with three officers firing 19 rounds at the student, who was barricaded in an administrator's office, officials say. The student, who hasn't been named due to his age, was wounded in the leg and surrendered after the officers opened fire.
A spokesperson from the Mesquite Police Department told WFAA Thursday that witnesses told investigators that the teen relayed that he came to the school to harm people. The spokesperson called the teen a troubled student—now the target of several search warrants to determine a motive.
The teen is now facing a single exhibition of a firearm charge and may face more charges in the future, the spokesperson said.
The town hall event was held in the campus gym—and began with parents giving the principal and assistant principal a standing ovation. Both were credited for alerting police that the student had a handgun and kept him calm and isolated until authorities could arrive.
However, parents were not pleased with how information about the threat was relayed. The school used Facebook and a platform called 'ClassTag,' which relays messages to parents about upcoming assignments, conferences, and critical incidents. Some said they didn't know about the lockdown until their children texted them.
The parents asked for a more streamlined way of communicating about critical incidents. They suggested having a service that sends text messages directly to their phones might be more accessible. Many school districts in North Texas have similar security alerts for parents and students.
Some parents mentioned that a few classes heard about the lockdown over the campus' PA system but thought it was only a drill and not taken seriously.
They asked that lockdown drills be reinforced to both students and teachers and done more often.
The principal said information would have likely been more streamlined and faster if she hadn't been directly involved in keeping the student from harming others.
The principal added that the Mesquite Police Department did an active shooter drill alongside the Mesquite Fire Department last summer. That training may have aided in the officers' response.
The school has two armed security guards, and officials said both of their schedules no longer overlap—that they're working simultaneously throughout the school day so that two guards will be watching campus at all times.
Metal detectors have also been installed at the campus this week, and student entrances have been changed so they can go through them. One parent asked if those should have been installed proactively instead of retroactively.
School officials also said they would be adding more security cameras and working to harden access points to the school to be secured and monitored remotely.
Some parents also spoke up about being proactive at home--noticing when students are showing behavioral changes and checking what they take to campus. School officials also mentioned earlier this week they would be doing additional security training for staff.
Late Thursday the school announced on its Facebook page it would be closed Friday:
In light of recent events and with the utmost concern for the safety and emotional well-being of our staff and students, we have made the decision to close the campus tomorrow. This is a necessary step to provide everyone in our community—parents, students, and staff alike—the space and time needed to process their emotions and feelings in the aftermath of what has occurred.
Please understand that we do not make this decision lightly, but believe it is essential to support the healing process for all involved. To this end, we want to assure you that tomorrow's absence will be marked as an excused absence for all students.
We are here for you as a community and a family, and we encourage you to reach out for support and to use this time to come together in reflection and care for one another.
We will see everyone back on campus, ready to resume our regular schedule, this coming Monday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this difficult time.