Hardin ISD posted this statement online Monday afternoon to explain a lockdown that took place around 3 p.m. at Hardin Elementary:
“The Hardin Elementary School was on lockdown for a brief period this afternoon. The H.E.S. staff took the precaution to lockdown the campus due to police activity in front of the school. Once the school staff was made aware of the situation and assured the campus was safe, the lockdown was lifted. The normal, after school pick ups and bus loadings proceeded without further disruption.
“The Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) received a call shortly after 3:00 pm in reference to a disturbance in one of the vehicles in the pick up line. The mother of a H.E.S. student began arguing with her mother (the student’s grandmother). The grandmother was the driver of the car. She pulled out of the pick up line to the south driveway in front of the school. In speaking with the Sheriff’s dispatcher, the grandmother stated her daughter might be having an episode due to medications she had taken.
“The LCSO dispatcher broadcast the call and one of their deputies, along with Constable Davison and his Deputy, Hugh Bishop, responded. Once on the scene, it was quickly determined that the disturbance wasn’t medical in nature. But the three law enforcement units directly in front of the campus caused an immediate concern for school officials. They initiated a lockdown as a precaution.
“A school administrator and the Hardin ISD Superintendent made contact with Deputy Bishop to get a quick rundown of the situation in front of their campus. Bishop assured them the incident only involved the vehicle that was detained on the south driveway. There was no safety or security threat to the school. The precautionary lockdown was lifted.
“The LCSO Deputy did make an arrest in regard to contraband observed in the woman’s purse. The grandmother was released and was told she could pick up the student as she originally intended.
“The names of the student’s mother and grandmother are not being released through the Pct 3 Constable’s Office. That’s because it is a Sheriff’s Office case. Constable Mark Davison and Deputy Hugh Bishop were only assisting units.
“The Pct 3 Constable’s Office thanks the Hardin Elementary staff and Superintendent Nixon for their response. Both for the precautionary lockdown, and their quick contact with Pct 3 to determine the status of the incident. All involved realize it was a brief inconvenience for after school pick ups and bus loadings. But it was better to err on the side of student and staff safety, than to have an incident that was dangerous and they would have acted too late.”