The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District has increased police presence at their schools this week after a series of incidents.
A Flores Elementary School student brought a BB gun to school and pointed it at a student’s head on Monday, according to a video statement by UCISD Superintendent Ashley Cholis.
“We had the student at the end of the day, during bus pickup, take the BB gun out of the backpack and point it at another student. Adults intervened very quickly. We are still investigating, but the BB gun was not loaded,” she said.
After further questioning of the student's family, the district determined the weapon belonged to the student’s brother. Cholis said the student would face serious repercussions for bringing the weapon to school.
The district encouraged parents to be vigilant about monitoring their children’s backpacks.
“Make sure that your kiddos don't bring anything to school that they should not bring in. That goes for firearms, BB guns, fireworks, lighters, anything inappropriate or against school rules,” Cholis said.
Anxieties were elevated further on Wednesday after the Uvalde Police Department heightened police presence on campuses after “disturbing” social media posts aimed at the schools surfaced online. UPD officials did not specify what was in the posts but said they were investigating.
UPD officials released a community notice on Facebook that said they were working closely with the UCISD Police Department to address the matter.
“As an extra precaution, we will be providing additional patrols throughout Uvalde CISD campuses to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” they wrote.
More than two years ago, a teenage gunman murdered 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. Law enforcement waited 77 minutes before finally approaching and killing the shooter. This created a lasting sense of distrust between local law enforcement and the community.
