Katy ISD schools put on alert during suspect search
KATY, TX (KTRK) -- There was heightened security this morning at several Katy ISD schools during a police search nearby.
The district says seven schools were placed on a special 'security status' for more than an hour, affecting Mayde Elementary, middle school and high school, as well as McRoberts Elementary, Stevens Elementary, Rhoades Elementary and Cardiss Junior High.
A 'security status' is different from a lockdown in that people can come and go from campus, according to the district.
Harris County sheriff deputies and Katy ISD police officers searched a nearby neighborhood.
At one point, our crews were told to get back for security reasons as deputies pushed down a cul-de-sac. We witnessed deputies going up and down streets.
School district officials say deputies told them they were looking for someone following disturbance and ordered the heightened security status. As you can imagine, parents were looking for answers as some even rushed to pull their kids out of school.
"I'm feeling confused and I am kind of emotional right now," said parent Daisy Overa. "I'm scared. I don't know what to do, what to say. My daughter is texting me but she doesn't even know what's going on."
"We just showed up for graduation and we didn't even get in the school," said parent Keeyah Hunter. "They stopped us at the front door. Graduation was cancelled. We turned back to pick up our son."
School officials say this situation isn't involving a student and didn't happen on campus, just close enough to require that secure status.
