Texas City HS student arrested for assault 3 weeks before bringing gun to campus, deputies say
TEXAS CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- Parents at Texas City High School are upset to find out the student arrested on campus with a gun on Monday allegedly assaulted a classmate earlier this month.
A video that shows the student savagely beating his classmate has parents questioning the district's safety protocols.
In the footage, the student in blue seen swinging punches was arrested on an assault charge Sept. 1, according to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office.
Just more than two weeks later, the same student, who remains unidentified, was arrested again, the sheriff's office said, this time accused of bringing a loaded gun to school.
"It was a failure to care for that child who obviously needs help. They had to let him back for whatever reason, and we almost had another Sante Fe (High School) situation," Terri Tumlinson, whose daughter attends the school, said.
An administrator said the reason he was allowed back on campus is because they're bound by federal law.
Texas City's ISD's former director of security, Michael Matranga, said this response often indicates the student falls under what's called a 504, or special education classification.
"(The 504) awards him certain protections from the federal government, which completely ties the hands of Texas City ISD. My blame is not solely on Texas City ISD. My blame is on the system," Matranga, who is the CEO of M6 Global Defense, said.
Matranga, who's also a former U.S. Secret Service agent and a school safety expert, said a behavioral threat assessment should have been conducted after the first incident.
The district told ABC13 it was in the process of that threat assessment when the student allegedly brought the loaded gun to school. Matranga said the process should be swift and immediate.
"I mean, (it) depends on the context, depends on how deep they need to go, but it could be a matter of hours or a matter of a couple days," Matranga said.
According to the district, Texas City ISD has more funding for safety resources than any other district in Galveston County. Some parents, though, want to see them use metal detectors on every campus full-time. Currently, the district only uses them at random for mass gatherings.
Texas City High School parent Amanda Rubach said she plans to make her disappointment known at the Oct. 10 board meeting.
"Along with so many others, I already have about 10 (people) with me that'll be coming. The more the merrier, that's how I see it," Rubach said.
The district added that the student was new to the school. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office said it's working with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to determine the gun's original owner. Investigators are also in the process of connecting with the student's parents.
SEE MORE: Parents question use of metal detectors after Texas City HS student found with gun on campus
