Uvalde CISD middle school student brings gun to campus

UVALDE, Texas – A student brought a gun to Morales Junior High School in Uvalde on Thursday, Uvalde CISD officials confirmed.

According to an email sent out to parents, a campus officer was told about the weapon from another student.

The handgun was confiscated and the student was removed from the campus to face disciplinary actions. The email assured parents that the student would not be allowed back to the campus.

Parents and guardians were told that the “student in control of the handgun showed a few students; please know it was not used to threaten students.”

However, several parents of Morales Junior High students told KSAT 12 News the opposite. The parents said their children were threatened directly by the student with the gun.

Those same families were concerned that UCISD didn’t immediately send a district-wide notification about Thursday’s incident. An email from Superintendent Ashley Chohlis was sent at 2:01 p.m.

Last month, the Department of Justice pointed to district failures in communication following the shooting at Robb Elementary. Now parents are saying those same failures are still present.

Families of UCISD students tell KSAT 12 News they’re unsure why the Morales Junior High campus was not placed on lockdown in response to the weapon being brought on campus.

In the principal’s email to families, she urged families to discuss what happened Thursday with their students and reminded them that it is illegal to bring weapons of any type to school.

“In addition, please highlight the importance of telling you or a staff member if your child ever becomes aware of a weapon on district property. This way, we are all working together to keep our school safe,” the email states.

While the district didn’t say if the gun was loaded, here is the statement an official provided about the incident:

An incident took place at Morales Junior High today; at approximately 10:45 am, a brave and responsible student chose to act and reported to the Uvalde CISD campus officer that another student had brought a firearm to school. The Uvalde CISD administration and police department swiftly located and took custody of the student and the firearm.

It is important to understand there was no intent to use the weapon for harm on school grounds, nor was the firearm used to threaten students or staff. Upon investigation, it was discovered the weapon was to be sold to another student. Both students involved were arrested and removed from the campus. Students who were shown the weapon and chose not to take action and report the situation will face consequences.

School safety is a partnership between students, parents, and staff. We must work together to create and maintain a safe environment for everyone in our district. We take every incident seriously and will continue to do everything in our power to ensure the safety of our students and staff.