Port Arthur police chief says caller who faked school shooting report will be prosecuted

Published 10:50 am Friday, March 24, 2023

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Two local schools, one in Port Arthur and one in Beaumont, were on a brief lockdown Thursday following emergency phone calls of a threat.

No threat was found at Wilson Early College High School in Port Arthur or at Westbrook High School in Beaumont, officials said.

A statement issued by Port Arthur Independent School District alerted parents to the brief lockdown at Wilson and that as a precaution Memorial High School and the CATE campus executed a lockdown drill in response to the activity at Wilson.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The calls to both schools came in from 2:20 to 2:25 p.m. Thursday.

Port Arthur Police Chief Tim Duriso said authorities responded to Wilson and had assistance from PAISD police officers, the Constables office and officers from the District Attorney’s Office.

Beaumont Independent School District Police Officers are also investigating the source of the threat and ask anyone with information to contact 409-617-7000.

People with information on the calls in Port Arthur can reach PAPD at 409-983-8600.

The next steps are to find the origin of the call.

Duriso said this was a crime and the person or people responsible will face criminal charges.