GRAVETTE -- Classes at Gravette High School were delayed Thursday morning, first until 9 a.m. and then until 10 a.m., as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and to allow police to search and eventually locate a man who reportedly was possibly suicidal.
According to a Gravette Police Department news release on Facebook Thursday, "Just before 5 a.m., officers with the Gravette Police Department were notified of a subject with suicidal inclinations, possibly in the area of the Gravette High School. Officers of our department, aided by surrounding agencies, responded to the area and made an immediate search, given the information supplied at the time. No subjects were found in the area. With an abundance of caution, due to the proximity to the school, we coordinated with the Gravette Public Schools to delay the start of the Gravette High School.
"At no time was there a threat to the school district, any students or faculty."
According to the Facebook post, the person who made the original call "has been located, and there are no further concerns."
According to Gravette Police Chief Chuck Skaggs, police officers from Benton County, Decatur, Centerton, and Highfill departments assisted in the search. The Highfill police department brought its drone, which was used during the incident.
The department thanked school staff, parents and students for their understanding, coordination and efforts. The department also thanked "the officers and agencies who assisted, as well as the members of [the] community who aided in [the department's] efforts."
A city of Gravette post earlier on Thursday indicated that a 911 call prompted a police search for a red Dodge Neon.
The police department said in its post that "anyone needing assistance or having a family member struggling with ideas of self-harm can reach the suicide hotline by dialing 988."
Susan Holland/Westside Eagle Observer
Decatur Police Chief Steven Grizzle stands guard at a door on the south side of Gravette High School Thursday morning. Officers from several area police departments were called in to assist during a morning search for a reportedly suicidal individual. School was delayed until 10 a.m. and Grizzle was helping to secure the building.
Susan Holland/Westside Eagle Observer
An ambulance and vehicles from several area police departments gather in an area set up as a command post during a search operation Thursday morning. Officers were trying to track down a possibly suicidal individual whose message seemed to originate from near a pond in the valley just north of Gravette High School.