North Forest HS shooting incident mars attempts at district progress

North Forest High School with police responding

NORTH FOREST– Police responded last Tuesday to a shooting inside North Forest High School. Incidents continue to happen at North Forest High School, possibly affecting the District’s appeal of closing the district. This time a student was shot by another student, who had a gun apparently to protect himself from others who were “bullying” him.

An 18-year-old, Warren Lewis, shot a16-year-old freshman in the leg in the middle of a second floor hallway around 12:30 p.m. The incident “was apparently the result of a dispute between a group of students that started off-campus and continued onto the campus,” said Sue Davis, spokeswoman for North Forest ISD. “The 16-year-old was not part of the dispute, so he was not the intended target of the alleged shooter.”

A nearby teacher, in a government class, who happened to also be a deputy constable, apprehended the shooter. Lewis has been charged with aggravated assault while the 16-year-old boy is in stable condition at a local hospital. In court Wednesday, prosecutors said that he actually fired the gun 5 times, and filed additional charges of carrying a gun on campuse.

This is the second incident within three months at North Forest High, back in October, two students were expelled after they attempted to hide a gun that one of them had brought to class.

North Forest ISD recently received final orders from the state Education Commissioner to close down and merge with Houston ISD by July, which they are appealing.

Statement from Edna Forté, Superintendent, North Forest Independent School District:

January 10, 2012

At approximately 12:30 p.m. today, an 18-year-old 12th grade student allegedly shot a 16-year-old 9th grader at North Forest High School. The 9th grader was shot in the leg and taken to hospital in stable condition. The alleged shooter was apprehended at the school and turned over to the Houston Police Department. The school was put on lockdown until it was determined the situation was over and then students were allowed to return to class after about 30 minutes. The parents of both students have been notified.

The ensuing investigation by school officials has determined the incident was apparently the result of a dispute among students that started off-campus. The student who was shot was apparently not the target of the alleged shooter.

While the high school has metal detectors, it is still under investigation as to how the alleged shooter got the gun into the school. As a result of this incident, the school district has determined to keep the metal detectors in operation longer each day.

The district has also decided to ban backpacks that are not transparent at the high school. The district will purchase clear backpacks for all the students and hopes to have them available by next Tuesday.