IRVING, Texas — Two Irving ISD students were arrested in connection with making a threat of violence and bringing weapons on campus Friday, police said.
The district said the threat was made against a MacArthur High School student and appeared to stem from a personal argument between students – making clear it didn’t have a connection to the hoax threat circulating across Texas and Florida.
The district said it took immediate action by placing the campus on a hold and notifying both the Irving ISD Security Department and the Irving Police Department.
Officials said that staff “intercepted” the two male students involved in the incident when they arrived at campus and said, “law enforcement took appropriate action.”
During a sweep of the school by Irving police officers, district officials said the threat was proved to be credible, and two handguns were confiscated.
Police said the two male students were detained and now face charges of illegal possession of a firearm in an unauthorized area. They both were taken to the juvenile detention center in Dallas.
There was no threat to the high school, police said.
Once the suspects were transported, officials said the school day resumed normal operations.
In a statement Friday afternoon, the district said, “Law enforcement will continue their efforts related to the individuals involved. The district will also ensure that appropriate legal and disciplinary consequences are issued as outlined by law and the student code of conduct.”
As a precaution, there will be an increased security presence at MacArthur High for the remainder of the day and the district said additional safety screening will be in place for the rest of the school year.
“Irving ISD is proud of how our team responded to the threat to quickly ensure the safety of our students and staff to prevent harm against any individual,” the district said. “We would like to thank the community members who reported their concerns to the district. As always, the district is committed to a partnership with our students, families, and community to ensure that all threats of violence affecting our schools are addressed immediately.”