North Texas

Flower Mound Students React to Gun in School, String of School Tragedies

On Thursday, three students at different North Texas high schools were arrested for having guns on their campuses, and two others were arrested over alleged threats.

Investigators say the weapons were found at Plano West High School, Marcus High School in Flower Mound and South Garland High School.

Garland Police say 19-year-old Kerry Guery had an unloaded gun and no ammunition. The students arrested were minors and have not been identified.

Thursday night, NBC 5 sat down with a group of students from Marcus High to find out how they're handling this string of threats, right after the Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead.

They said they can't go into school scared every day. But they do think about the dangers in a very real way that you wish kids didn't have to. One girl was in the classroom Thursday when she says a fellow student started talking about his gun and making threats.

From the time they're small, kids today are drilled in what could happen with an active shooter situation on campus.

"Ever since I can remember," said 16-year-old Rylee Hudson.

"Kids are locked in the classroom, phones are off, lights are off," said 16-year-old Dominique Beachum, describing an active shooter drill.

It can become as common place as a fire drill.

"We need to become more aware that it could happen to you. It could have happened to us today," 15-year-old Elijah Pollinzi said.

Marcus High School in Flower Mound had a real scare Thursday, when a student allegedly brought an unloaded gun and ammunition to campus.

"He was talking about how he had it," said 16-year-old Adriana Frieson.

Frieson was sitting in his class, when she says other kids started taunting him.

"He was just like, 'I'll pull it out if y'all don't shut up,'" Frieson said. "Like he was threatening us the whole time."

Another student texted the school tip line and the boy was arrested.

"It was a shock, honestly," said 14-year-old Logan Lott.

The friends can't help thinking what could have happened, watching the steady stream of tragedies across the country.

"If you get used to it, then you don't care," Beachum said. "I have to be the type of person that says you know what, I'm not used to it."

So how does a kid in America carry that weight?

"There's a difference between being afraid and being alert," Lott said. "Be cautious of the people around us, social cues and things like that are very big."

And when you see something, don't be afraid to speak up.

"There are no snitches, you're saving people's lives," Lott said.

Some want more security.

"I would like to see a bag check implemented at our school," Beachum said.

While others think the best protection is the "Golden Rule."

"Treat other people with kindness and respect," Hudson said.

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