Overnight, the FBI received a voicemail from a man in Odessa who threatened to shoot elementary students unless he got help. When notified Tuesday morning, local law enforcement agencies began a coordinated effort to locate the man.
Ector County ISD placed all elementary schools into Secure, which is a precaution and means all students and faculty members remain inside and visitors are restricted from the building, a news release said.
The Secure was lifted after an hour, at approximately 10:30 a.m., when the FBI, Department of Public Safety (DPS) and ECISD officers located a person of interest. After interviewing that person, the investigation continues and officers do not believe the threat sent to the FBI to be credible, the release detailed.
Earlier, the district was unable to release information for the reason behind the Secure, as they did not want it to be widely reported and potentially tip off a suspect, the release said.
“We want to thank parents and staff members for their trust and their patience throughout this situation. Our officers and staff are working, first and foremost, to keep our kids safe. We are grateful for a law enforcement community that is always working together to keep our citizens safe,” the release stated.
