Loaded gun found in unattended purse at James B. Harvard Elementary cafeteria after Galena Park ISD 2nd

Jan 01, 2024

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman is accused of having a loaded gun inside her purse during a 2nd-grade awards ceremony in Galena Park ISD on Tuesday.

District officials said it happened at James B. Harvard Elementary School when a school administrator was clearing out the cafeteria following the ceremony and found an unattended purse.

The administrator opened the purse in hopes of finding who it belonged to but found a loaded handgun instead and immediately called the police.

Galena Park ISD said the weapon and purse were taken by authorities, who detained the woman after she returned to retrieve her bag.

The woman faces a felony charge of possession of a prohibited weapon.

The district sent ABC13 the following statement regarding the incident:

"On May 23, 2023, an administrator was clearing out the cafeteria after the second grade awards ceremony and found an unaccompanied purse. The administrator looked inside the purse to see if there was any identification and found a loaded handgun.The administrator immediately contacted the Harris County Precinct 3 School Resource Officer, and the officer took possession of the purse and gun. After further investigation, it was determined that the purse was inadvertently left in the cafeteria by a campus visitor. The School Resource Officer detained the purse owner (when she returned to campus to retrieve the purse), contacted the district attorney, and criminal charges were accepted.Please know that these situations are never dismissed, as the safety of students and staff is always our first concern. As a reminder, Galena Park ISD is a gun-free zone, and violators will be prosecuted."

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