PORT ARTHUR, Texas — A 17-year-old is currently being held in an adult facility after two teens were injured in a Thursday evening Port Arthur shooting.
Jose Cortez is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $200,000 bond. Cortez is accused of shooting and injuring two Port Arthur Independent School District teens.
Cortez is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to a PAISD release, he is not a student of the district.
A Jefferson County judge spoke with 12News to clear up some of the confusion surrounding Texas laws regarding minors involved in violent crimes.
“If a suspect commits a crime, and they are 17 or older they are automatically processed by the juvenile justice system, and held in an adult facility,” Judge Randy Shelton said. “If they are under 17 and over 10 and committed a violent crime, they would be kept in a juvenile.”
When it comes to Texas laws, a 17-year-old is considered an adult.
Related: Suspect in Port Arthur shooting that sent 2 teens to the hospital charged, held on $200,000 bond
Witnesses said the altercation began at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School and moved to the parking lot of La Vaquita. It was at this parking lot that the shooting occurred and two teens were injured.
Both students are currently recovering from their injuries and are expected to be okay. The incident left parents and students shocked and spooked.
One parent learned about the incident through a frightening phone call from her daughter.
“I found out because my kid is a cheerleader at Thomas Jefferson, and she was after school for cheer practice, and she kept calling and calling,” Kristal Williams, PAISD mother said. “And once I finally answered, I found out that two kids at her school had been shot, and she was nervous and scared, so she wanted to come home.”
Some parents decided to not send their children to school the next day out of fear for their safety.
To ensure the safety of staff and students, the district said the following precautions and crisis intervention actions were implemented at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School campus on Friday.
- Additional security and police presence on campus
- Staggering dismissal times of students
- Access to counselors and social workers for students who want crisis counseling
- Continuous vigilant monitoring of students, especially during transition times and before and after school
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information
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