PORT ARTHUR, Texas — A shooting in Port Arthur sent two teens to the hospital with gunshot wounds Thursday afternoon, according to Port Arthur Police Detective Sadie Guedry.
The shooting happened in the 1700 block of Jefferson Drive around 4:15 p.m. The location of the shooting is also known as the La Vaquita Meat Market.
The two teens who were shot have been identified as males. They sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Police identified one suspect as Jose Cortez, 17. He was located and arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to a Port Arthur Police news release.
He now faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Each count holds a $100,000 bond, putting his total at $200,000.
He was also taken to the Jefferson County Correction Facility for processing.
Detectives with the Port Arthur Police Department are investigating what led up to the incident.
Witnesses said the incident began with a fight across the street at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.
Witnesses at the scene said one of the boys was shot in the back in the parking lot of La Vaquita. They said he then went inside, and that's when police were called.
Kristal Williams said her daughter was at cheer practice when she heard two people had been shot.
“I found out because my kid, she kept calling and calling. One of the kids had been shot, so she was nervous and scared and she wanted to come home,” said Williams.
According to Port Arthur Independent School District officials, Cortez is not enrolled in their district. The district confirmed the two victims injured during the incident were PAISD students.
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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Full news release from Port Arthur Police...
On 02/10/22 at approximately 4:13 P.M., a Port Arthur Police Officer heard gunshots from the area of 1700 Jefferson Drive.
Multiple officers responded and located two subjects that had been shot. Both were transported to local hospitals and are currently being treated for their injuries.
The suspect, Jose Cortez, 17 years of age, was located and arrested for Agg. Assualt W/Deadly Weapon. He is currently being transported to the Jefferson County Correction Facility for processing.
This incident is currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division of the Port Arthur Police Department.