UPDATED: Police to return to campus Wednesday following firearm threat in Port Arthur

Published 2:34 pm Tuesday, November 29, 2022

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Port Arthur Police Department officers spent the day at Bob Hope Middle School Tuesday in response to information that a student was going to bring a gun to school.

Chief Tim Duriso said officers helped at school Tuesday morning, walking hallways and the perimeter and speaking with people on campus.

Duriso said police take every such incident as credible and as of Tuesday afternoon had not found anything of danger.

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Bob Hope School Communications Director Patrick Bennett said in a news release that a parent informed administrators Monday that their child overheard a student in the hallway at the middle school say they were going to bring a gun on Tuesday. Police were notified and parents were called and asked not to let children bring backpacks to the school.

As an added precaution, the school had extra security screening of students as they entered the campus.

“The safety of our students is our top priority at Bob Hope School,” Bennett said in the news release.

Bennett said Tuesday morning went well on campus. BHS security officers and PAPD officers helped the administration screen students.

“No weapon was found and it is unknown to us at this time who the alleged student was that made the verbal threat in the hallway. It is still under investigation,” Bennett said. “For the safety of our students and staff, we take all threats seriously, as the safety of our students is top priority at all BHS campuses.”

Duriso said officers spoke with some parents to see if they had heard anything and some did but they had heard it second or third hand.

“We will continue to investigate,” Duriso said.

Police are expected to be at the campus again Wednesday.