An East Texas public school district has issued a formal response to an alleged shooting at a post-prom party in which nine teenagers were injured, according to a report from Tyler CBS affiliate KYTX.
The incident in question occurred shortly after midnight on Sunday when authorities responded to disturbance reports on County Road (CR) 263, just north of Jasper.
John Seybold, superintendent for the Jasper Independent School District (JISD), said in the statement obtained by KYTX that “several current and former students were injured” in the shooting that took place at “an off-campus residence.”
“We first want to say that we are praying for them and thankful for God’s hand in the situation,” Seybold said. “Several students present at the scene administered first aid and responded to the events in a courageous manner.”
Citing the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), KYTX reported the victims were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
“JISD staff were at the ER most of the night to check on our students and will be there for their families in the days to come,” the statement continued, which went on to explain the actions and precautions the district took for the current academic year to protect its children. “In light of this situation, we are working in conjunction with city, county and state law enforcement agencies to provide a much greater presence this coming week at our campuses. We take the safety of our schools very seriously and will continue to be vigilant. We will continue to work with law enforcement in their investigation and they have assured us they are working to keep our schools safe.”
Per the district, counseling is available to any students at its campuses “who have been affected by this event.”
“We understand this will cause turmoil and confusion for our students and it is important that we provide help as soon as possible to our students whom this will affect emotionally,” the statement said.
Beaumont CBS affiliate KFDM reported that the ages of the victims range from 15 to 19.
Jasper County Sheriff Mitchel Newman told KFDM his agency received visits from numerous partygoers who gave their accounts of the party.
“We’re interviewing students that were at the party, quite a large party … We need all the help we can use,” Newman said in the report.
