PHOENIX — A new survey shows more Arizona students are being threatened by weapons while at school.
According to the biennial Arizona Youth Survey, 10% of students reported being threatened by a gun, knife or other weapon while at school within the past 12 months.
That's a 73% increase compared to 2018 when 5.6% of students said they had been threatened on campus.
"As a mom, it just makes me nervous just because of what happened in Texas," said Marcy Begay, a Phoenix mother.
Begay's daughter goes to Central High School which was recently placed on lockdown after police responded to reports of shots being fired.
Ultimately, authorities said there was no evidence of a shooting taking place. Still, parents are worried.
"Some students were saying they heard a gunshot and that made my heart start racing," Begay added.
The survey was conducted by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission and included responses from 51,000 students from more than 300 schools.
"It is providing schools that have been participating in the report for a number of years data to look to look at trends," said Andrew LaFevre, the commission's executive director.
The results did show a decrease in dangerous behavior in some categories including alcohol and drug use. However, it did show a lack of awareness when it came to the drug fentanyl.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Union is taking steps to address parents' concerns.
A spokesperson with the district said the governing board recently created a new student safety committee to hear recommendations.
"We encourage our families to attend these meetings and provide feedback for the committee," they said.
Parents are also encouraged to send ideas to Safety@PhoenixUnion.org.
For a copy of the full report from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, click here.
