A sixth-grade student at Abraham Lincoln Middle School reportedly displayed an unloaded BB gun at a bus stop but brought the BB gun home before getting on the bus for school Tuesday morning.

“Students alerted the bus driver and upon arriving to the campus, all students on that particular bus had their belongings checked to ensure that the unloaded BB gun was not in any students’ possession,” Kristyn Cathey, public information officer for the Port Arthur Independent School District, said in a press release. “Once checked, the students were able to proceed to the classes; however, the student in question was immediately removed from the campus.”

PAISD Superintendent Mark Porterie said the next step for the student would be addressed according to district policy.

The student code of conduct states students shall not possess or use an air or BB gun. As for jurisdiction, the alleged incident occurred at the bus stop. However, once the student entered the bus they were within the jurisdiction of the PAISD. Per code of conduct, the district has disciplinary authority during the following:

• the regular school day and while the student is going to and from school on district transportation;
• for certain offenses within 300 feet of school property as measured from any point on the school’s real property boundary line; and
• when criminal mischief is committed on or off school property or at a school-related event.

Porterie said students are taught to tell authorities if they see something out of the ordinary — and that’s what happened in this instance.

“They knew what to do and how to act. They knew right from wrong,” Porterie said. “They know that if something is not right to come to us. The process is in place and this proves they know what to do.”

The district released a statement about the incident saying: “The safety and security of our students and staff are of the utmost importance. We thank our students for the bravery they displayed today and we continue to encourage all of our students, if they see or hear anything suspicious, to immediately let a district employee know.”