Hot Springs woman who survived school shooting speaks out after threats at her son’s school

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Students from across the state are facing the consequences for threats and rumors of threats, but some Arkansans know how real the danger can be.

Tabitha Porter barely survived the 1998 Thurston High School shooting in Oregon. Now she lives in Hot Springs where Wednesday police announced a 15-year-old was arrested.

The Lakeside High School student allegedly indicated another student had a gun on campus Tuesday. The teen was charged for Communicating a False Alarm over Snapchat.

Tabitha Porter said last week she kept her 16-year-old son from school for the first tie because of a threat made to Garland County schools.

“He looked at me and said I’ve never been so scared mom and I don’t want what happened to you to happen to me,” she said.

26 years ago, 26 students were shot at Thurston High School in Oregon. Tabitha Porter carries the scar on her leg and in her heart every day, but especially lately.

“It’s so bad. I mean we’ve been in school two months a month and a half and there’s already so many threats. It’s insane,” Porter said.

In September Central Arkansas schools reported about 10 students. Porter remembers the consequences in Oregon was life in prison for the 15-year-old shooter. The false alarm in Hot Springs is a misdemeanor, but she says a joke or threat on social media also has lasting consequences.

“They go on there and think that it’s just among their friends they don’t realize that once it’s on the Internet or social media it’s there forever,” Porter said.

The Lakeside School District sent a message to parents after the arrest Tuesday saying encouraging students not to share unverified information.

The message read in part:

“Encourage your students, if they see something, say something to a trusted adult. Do not use social media to share their concerns.”

-Lakeside School District Superintendent Bruce Orr

Porter says she has always told her kids her story and encourages them to speak out about their feelings, bullying, and what their words mean.

“It starts at home, and I believe that parents need to talk to their kids they need to explain why these situations are not funny,” Porter said.

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