A 40-year-old man was arrested on multiple charges after he was seen possessing a firearm at Days Inn and MRMC Friday, May 5, Bay City Police reported.
Bay City Police Department dispatch center received a call in reference to a suspicious male walking around the lobby in possession of a gun at Days Inn, at 407 7th Street, shortly before 10 a.m. Friday.
Due to the proximity of the Bay City High School to the hotel, Bay City ISD Police Department was notified.
The school was placed on lockdown while officers investigated the call.
While officers were at Days Inn checking the area, dispatch received another call about a male walking through the lobby of the Matagorda Regional Medical Center in possession of a gun.
The description of the man at the hospital was the same description of the suspicious male at the Days Inn, police said.
Officers then responded to MRMC.
While en route, they observed a man matching the description in an empty field near the hospital.
The man was arrested and found to be in possession of a flare gun, police reports show.
He was identified as Ryan M. Wade, 40, police said.
Wade was taken to the Matagorda County Jail and charged with terroristic threat interrupting a public place and unlawfully carrying a weapon.
The case is still under investigation.
More charges may be filed later.
It should be noted that this incident is not related to the bomb threats made at the school last week, police said.
MRMC reported that an unknown man entered the main hospital building at approximately 10 a.m Friday, May 5, through a rear public entrance and proceeded to inquire about a person he believed to be a patient at MRMC’s Emergency Room, hospital officials said.
Following protocol, the hospital staff appropriately withheld all information.
As the unknown man was leaving the hospital, an unrelated MRMC patient reported that the man had a firearm.
MRMC reported this incident to police, and hospital officials were told BCPD intercepted the unknown man outside of the hospital near Texas 35 for questioning.
Other than what MRMC officials believe to be a possible violation of the hospital’s stated “No Firearms” policy, there was no other known incident.
C reported receiving an alert at 10:13 a.m. Friday, May 5, from local law enforcement agencies of an altercation that happened at MRMC.
Local law enforcement agencies informed BCISD-PD that the suspect involved in the altercation left the hospital on foot and was armed with a weapon.
Out of an abundance of caution for student and staff safety, BCISD-PD initiated a campus lockdown at 10:15 a.m. at Bay City High School due to the proximity of the hospital.
The suspect ran from law enforcement on foot armed with a firearm and was quickly intercepted by Bay City Police and local police officers.
The suspect was intercepted and taken into custody while running in the field in between MRMC and BCHS, BCISD-PD said.
All Bay City High School students and staff were safe and the campus has been declared as all-clear.
Bay City High School is no longer on lockdown at this moment.
BCISD-PD and local law enforcement agencies increased the police presence at BCHS and the surrounding areas for the remainder of the day.
Bay City Junior High also was in a lockdown on campus about 10 a.m. Friday.
BCJH students and staff were instructed to lock their doors, as all entrances and exits to the building were secured and locked.
BCISD-PD was on site and secured the campus. BCJH Administration was made aware of a “concerning social media post,” that was posted by a BCJH student.
The post was not a direct threat to BCJH or any students at the campus.
Out of an abundance of caution, the BCJH Administration Team and BCISD-PD initiated a
lockdown until the matter was fully investigated.
BCISD-PD performed a full search on campus, along with removing the student for further
investigation.
After an all-clear was issued, BCISD-PD and local law enforcement agencies increased the police presence at the BCJH campus for the rest of the day, as a precaution.
On the evening of Monday, May 8, Bay City Police Department was made aware of threats made against students at Bay City Junior High.
“Bay City ISD officials will have an increased police presence to include additional security measures,” according to a BCPD Facebook post overnight Monday.
BCPD is seeking additional information regarding this threat or for the ones made last week.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact 979-245-8500
