The Arrest of a Preteen Suspect in San Antonio School Threat Case

San Antonio, Texas – The arrest of a preteen suspect in a case involving shooting threats made online against more than half a dozen San Antonio schools comes as a relief to some parents.

San Antonio police announced Sunday night that they tracked down the 12-year-old boy with the help of the Texas Rangers and officers from several local school districts.

Juvenile suspect arrested after making terroristic threats to schools on Instagram, SAPD says

The threats came in an online post that was widely circulated over the weekend. It includes a picture of a gun and the names of seven local schools, along with dates and mentions of school shootings.

SAPD said investigators determined that the threats, which caused concern among some parents, were not credible after all. A preliminary police report said the suspect who was arrested did not have any guns.

“Even if he was mad for whatever reason, for the school, there’s no threat to be made,” Mark Reyes said Monday morning as he dropped off his child at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School.

Rhodes was one of four schools in the San Antonio Independent School District that were listed in the threat. The other schools in that district that were named include Tafolla Middle School, Sarah King Elementary School, and Estrada Achievement Center. Additionally, Alonso S. Perales Elementary School in Edgewood ISD, Abraham Kazen Middle School in South San Antonio ISD, and IDEA Public Schools were all threatened.

On the campus of at least one school, Rhodes, school police made their presence known as students arrived Monday morning. Reyes said while he feels some relief, the threats still have him feeling a bit uneasy.

“It makes me wonder, ‘Did he have a friend that’s behind him on it, that’s willing to do it too? Was it just him?’” he said.

The official SAISD website contained a message to parents Monday morning, telling them there was no danger from online threats made over the weekend. (KSAT 12 News)

SAISD tried to reassure parents with a post to its website, also discrediting the validity of the threats. KSAT 12 News sent requests to all the school districts named in the online threats.

SAISD promised a statement that still had not been delivered as of early Monday afternoon. A spokesperson did not address specific questions either, including whether the suspect may have been an SAISD student.

Edgewood ISD provided the following emailed statement: “The safety and security of Edgewood ISD students, staff, and faculty is the district’s top priority. We are thankful to EISD Police and the other law enforcement agencies for their quick action regarding the online threat made against EISD and other local school districts. Potential threats are taken seriously and EISD will continue to take necessary safety measures to protect our students, staff, and faculty.”

IDEA Public Schools also replied by email, saying that it had been made aware of the threat and investigation. A spokeswoman said after police determined the threat was not credible, IDEA schools “were cleared to resume regular operations, and will continue prioritizing the safety of our students and staff.”

South San Antonio ISD did not respond to emails or phone calls. Because of the suspect’s age, police have not released his name.

Jill Mata, Chief Probation Officer for Bexar County’s Juvenile Probation Department, told KSAT 12 News that confidentiality laws prevent her from commenting about specific cases involving juveniles, including this one. However, she said court hearings and assessments determine what happens in terms of any punishment or sentencing.

In a case involving a terroristic threat charge and a 12-year-old suspect, Mata said jail time usually is not a possibility. Reyes says, in spite of the scare he got from the threats, he does not want to see the suspect receive a harsh punishment.

“I think they should keep him away from school campuses. You know, maybe home school him,” Reyes said.