February 16
7 a.m.
The search for the Miami-Dade fugitive who had been eluding police since Monday night ended overnight in a wooded area near the south side of Grapevine Lake.
GCISD commends the Grapevine Police and all the agencies who worked so diligently to keep our schools and community safe during this situation. We work closely with police in all security matters regarding our schools and are thankful for police efforts to keep us informed and to provide support so that we can make necessary decisions to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
The Grapevine Police Department issued the following news release:
On Saturday February 16 at 12:25 AM, members of the Grapevine Police Department and U.S. Marshalls Fugitive Task Force located Alberto Morales in a wooded area near the 2200 Block of Lake Ridge Dr. While attempting to apprehend Morales, he was shot and is now deceased.
At about 10:35 PM on Friday February 15, the Grapevine Police Department received a report of a home burglary in the 2100 block of Forest Hills Rd. Officers at the scene learned that mens clothing and jewelry were missing from the home. Members of the Fugitive Task Force responded to search the surrounding area. With the assistance of a Fort Worth Police Department Helicopter, Morales was spotted in a wooded area not far from the home that had been broken into. Members of the U.S. Marshalls Fugitive Task Force, Miami-Dade Police Department and Grapevine Police Department saturated the wooded area. Morales was located and was shot while trying to apprehend him. This matter is still under investigation. More information will be made available at a later time.
February 15
Updated 3:58 p.m.
Police have given the all-clear for the area and the lockdowns at GHS, CTMS and TES have been lifted. GHS will begin releasing students under normal procedures. Bus routes will begin normal routes. We will continue working with police to ensure the safety of our students, staff and schools.
Updated 3:30 p.m.
As a precautionary measure, we have put GHS and any students remaining at CTMS and TES on full lockdown while police are searching the surrounding area as part of their ongoing safety checks of the community. Police have confirmed there have been NO sightings of the Miami-Dade fugitive who escaped from Florida officers on Monday night. The district has put these three schools in full lockdown in an abudance of caution. At this time, per our lockdown procedures, parents will not be able to pick up their students until further notice.
February 13Updated 7:15 p.m.Law enforcement agencies throughout the area continue searching for a Miami-Dade fugitive who escaped from Florida officers on Monday night. In a news conference today, Grapevine Police assured that they will actively search for the fugitive until he is caught or they have conclusive evidence that he is no longer in the area. Meanwhile, they asked that the community continue to remain vigilant. In GCISD, we are working closely with police and have measures in place to keep our students and staff safe.
During this time of increased vigilance, GCISD will continue to keep all exterior doors at our schools and facilities locked during the school day as a precaution. This includes the front doors of the schools. School day activities, including arrival and dismissal procedures, recess and after-school or evening events, will continue as normal.
The safety of our students and staff is a top priority in GCISD and we greatly appreciate your understanding and support of our security protocols. We will remain on heightened alert until this community situation is resolved but will work to maintain as normal a routine as possible for our students. As we learn details about this investigation relevant to our schools, we will share this information with our parents and community. We will continue to use the district and school websites, e-alerts, Facebook and Twitter to communicate with parents and staff.
February 12
Updated 8:00 p.m.
At this time, police are still searching for the armed fugitive in the area. As we prepare for school on Wednesday, GCISD will again keep all exterior doors at our schools and facilities locked during the school day as a precaution. This includes the front doors of the schools. Regular school classes and activities will continue as normal inside the schools and all athletic, recess and physical education activities will continue as usual. We remain on alert and continue working closely with police. We will provide updates if any changes to our procedures are necessary.
Dismissal procedures for all GCISD schools will be at the regularly scheduled times and will follow normal procedures. All after-school athletic practices and events will continue as scheduled. Police continue patrolling around our schools and will continue to provide an increased presence this afternoon and evening. In addition, we are reminding students about following good safety procedures. Students should never talk to a stranger, should always walk in groups to and from school or the bus stop, and should go immediately to a trusted adult if they feel there is cause for concern. We remain on alert and continue working closely with police to ensure the safety of our students, staff, schools and facilities. Thank you for your cooperation today.
As of this time, police are still searching for the armed fugitive in the area. Police do not have any reason to believe that any of our schools or facilities are at risk. As a precaution, we are continuing to keep all exterior doors at our schools and facilities locked. This includes the front doors of the schools. Regular school classes and activities will continue as normal inside the schools. In addition, and because of the weather, all outdoor recess and athletic activities will be conducted indoors today. We will continue working closely with police and will provide updates if any changes to our procedures are necessary.
Grapevine Police are searching for an armed fugitive. The prisoner escaped Monday around 10 p.m. from a vehicle parked at the Wal-Mart near Highway 114 in Grapevine. Police are unsure if the fugitive is still in the area but GCISD is taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our students, staff and schools. As a precaution, police have increased patrols around our schools and we will have an increased presence of police and district officials. School doors will remain locked as part of our standard safety procedures. We continue working with police on this matter.
