Shots fired at memorial for Spring High student

People arrive Sunday for the memorial service for Joshua Broussard at Spring Baptist Church, 1027 Spring Cypress Rd. People arrive Sunday for the memorial service for Joshua Broussard at Spring Baptist Church, 1027 Spring Cypress Rd. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Shots fired at memorial for Spring High student 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

Screaming teenagers crawled to hide under pews Sunday night, just moments after a crowd of hundreds prayed for unity over the casket of 17-year-old Spring High School student Joshua Broussard, killed on campus last week in a possible gang-related stabbing.

A small group allegedly from the Hispanic gang Brown Pride entered the lobby of Spring Baptist Church around 8 p.m., sparking an altercation that officers at the service for security pushed outside, said Sgt. Milton Coker of the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Broussard's family was gathered around the casket being loaded into a hearse as the fight continued and four to eight shots allegedly were fired.

The shots prompted hundreds to run screaming back into the chapel. Others stood stunned; some prayed or called police. After moments of hysteria, a calm, confident female voice told mourners to get up and assured them that everything was OK.

No one was arrested or injured, authorities said. The sheriff's office had no information on the suspects, but said the investigation will continue with help from Spring Independent School District officers and a gang task force.

Classmate Luis Alonzo Alfaro is charged in the murder after a pushing match in the school hallway prompted him to pull a folding knife on Broussard, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Authorities fear the incident was gang related.

The school struggles with racial tension, saidcommunity members who spoke out Sunday.

A drastic shift

Roughly 3,500 students attend Spring High - 28 percent of whom are black, 32 percent are white and 34 percent are Hispanic. That's a drastic shift from a decade ago, when 68 percent of Spring High's 2,750 students were white. At that time, 12 percent were black and 18 percent were Hispanic.

Tressa McLane, a 2009 graduate, said Spring students never have and, despite her prayers, will never feel safe.

She said the fights between "blacks and Mexicans" had been going on for years, and that she sometimes feared going to school.

"But it was never this bad," she said. "I wish it would stop, but unfortunately I don't think it ever will."

Deric Muhammad from Ministry of Justice questioned reports that gangs or race motivated the fatal fight, as well as allegations that "blacks and browns" cannot get along.

"Some smart, deceptive, crooked spirit" is working to divide them, he said, which must be confronted with deliberate cultural exchanges in schools.

"Maybe we can create an atmosphere where Joshua Broussard's life is the last to be taken," Muhammad said.

At the memorial service that followed the gathering of community leaders, a crowd of several hundred celebrated Broussard's life to the tempo of country and rap praise songs. Most in the audience sang and clapped along, or yelled, "amen" throughout the service.

Teens leaned on each other, hugging, holding hands and occasionally carrying each other out in tears. Parents dashed to the bathroom to gather more paper towels to dry eyes in their pew.

Pastors from multiple denominations and diverse ethnicities denied characterizations of Broussard as a gangster and called for him to be the last child who died with an unfulfilled dream inside him.

"I've never in my days seen a gang banger or gangster dream of going to the University of Texas," shouted E.A. Deckard, pastor of Greenhouse International Church, to a standing ovation. "Joshua Broussard had a dream to be a cowboy."

"Spring shall rise again" was Deckard's refrain throughout the night.

A video clip projected on the wall showed Broussard practicing roping. A grill in the yard of an apartment complex served as his calf. Family photos showed him on horses and eating s'mores.

Broussard's family had no money for the funeral, service or burial so Deckard rallied more than seven churches to cover costs.

The teen will be buried at 11 a.m. Monday, under heavy security.

Spring ISD officials said that despite the incident at the memorial service, school will resume Monday morning.

'Safety plan in place'

"We have a good safety plan in place. We've taken every precaution," spokeswoman Karen Garrison said.

Students will only be allowed to carry clear backpacks, Ziploc-type bags and purses smaller than loaves of bread. Those backpacks and purses will be subject to search as students enter the building.

Students will only be allowed to enter through the main door or a rear door near the band hall - both of which will have metal detectors. Principal Donna Ullrich encouraged students to remove jewelry, belts and other metal objects prior to entering the school.

Extra police officers and counselors will be on campus as well.

"We're going to love those kids. We're going to show up tomorrow and we're gonna do school," Ullrich told mourners at the service Sunday.