PALESTINE, Texas - A shooting at Palestine High School Friday night left one person injured and the suspected shooter behind bars.
Palestine police said no students were involved in the incident.
Officers responded to calls of shots fired in the parking lot around 6:15 p.m.
Kristi Beard, a Teague Independent School District bus driver, said she was driving into the Palestine High parking lot when she encountered flashing police lights.
"I told the girls to get down on the floorboard, because I didn't know what was going on," Beard said.
Police said the gunfire in the school's parking lot was the result of a fight between two adults from Teague who were in Palestine for the Teague vs. Malakoff basketball game.
Palestine police spokesman Capt. James Muniz said a man shot a 63-year-old man in the upper arm and police rushed to the scene.
The victim was sent to Palestine Regional Medical Center with what was originally reported as non-life threatening injuries. Later, he was transported to a Tyler hospital for additional treatment.
The suspect assaulted a 59-year-old woman whom was with the male victim by striking her in the head with the handgun after the gun reportedly malfunctioned.
Police believe the suspect and female victim had a prior relationship.
"Our officers responded appropriately," Muniz said. "They got here as quick as they could. Our response time was extremely well. They got the situation under control as soon as they got here."
Witness flagged down Chief Stacy Hillhouse with the Malakoff ISD Police Department and she was able to detain the suspect.
The suspect is a 63-year-old man from Teague. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into the Anderson Co. Jail. Additional charges of deadly conduct are pending.
Both Muniz and Beard said they're shocked it happened on a school campus. But are glad no students were injured.
During the investigation, it was determined several shots were fired in the parking lot and additional rounds struck a passenger vehicle with adults and children as they were driving in the parking lot. No on was injured in the vehicle.
"It could've turned out a lot worse than what it did," Beard said.
Palestine Police Department patrol officers and members of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department were able to secure the scene until members of the Detective Division could arrive to process any evidence related to the incident.
The names of the victims were being withheld. The suspect’s name will be released after he has been arraigned.
“It was very fortunate that there were not additional injuries or victims as a result of the incident, as Palestine High School was hosting regional playoff basketball games at their facility," Muniz said. “Our officers responded in a very timely manner. They did a great job securing the scene as well as dealing with the suspect, amid all of the chaos.”
