Tragedy Averted

Student Alerted School about Possible Threat

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – A Grapeland ISD student is being hailed as a hero by GISD Superintendent Don Jackson after the student alerted Jackson about a possible threat to students.

“I’m going to call that student a hero because he helped us avert a potentially deadly situation. The systems we have in place worked,” Jackson said.

The superintendent said he was notified by the student in the early morning hours of Friday, Jan. 10 concerning a message he had seen in a group chat on the social media app, Snapchat.

The message indicated another student planned to harm himself and others the next day.

Jackson went on to say law enforcement was immediately contacted and went to the home of the student to help intervene in the developing situation. The student was interviewed and the threat was deemed to be credible.

“That student has been suspended from school for the time being and the situation is being investigated thoroughly,” Jackson said.

He went on to add there was an increased law enforcement presence at Grapeland High School on Friday mainly as a show of support, but also in case any type of incident were to occur.

“The safety of your children and our students is our number one priority,” the superintendent stressed.

“It took a lot of guts for the student to come forward and contact me about this. This student truly is a hero to me for his actions. We have students of high character in our district and this is just one example of this,” Jackson added.

The superintendent also expressed his appreciation to the Grapeland Police Department and Houston County Sheriff’s Office for their immediate response to the potentially dangerous situation.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].