Active shooter class held at Gravette Middle School

GRAVETTE -- Gravette police department hosted classes on active shooter training July 27 and 28 at Gravette Middle School. The training was designed to educate students about how to deal with an active shooter situation in a school setting. Twelve students and three trainers were involved in the classes. Students came from Sulphur Springs, Gravette, Decatur, Highfill, Lowell and the Fayetteville VA hospital. The instructors were from Mountain Home.

The first day of training was classroom time dealing with active shooter statistics and the different types of active shooters. Day two consisted of hands-on training where officers cleared rooms and dealt with actors who portrayed active shooters.

Food was provided on Wednesday, the 27th, and a cookout was held at the middle school on Thursday, the 28th, with Kurt Maddox, Gravette mayor, as the cook.

"This class would not have been possible without the staff at Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute allowing the class to be taught in Gravette," said Sgt. Chuck Skaggs of the Gravette Police Department.

Skaggs expressed thanks to the institute and to all those who gave donations to help feed the class. These included Teasley Drug, eight cases of water; Dollar General, four cases of soda and cups; Harps, hot dog and hamburger buns; Margo Thomas and Tyson Foods, hamburgers and hot dogs; Bank of Gravett, lunch for the class on Wednesday; and Fire Station 29, potato salad and baked beans.