MISSION — The police department and school district held a joint news conference Thursday to share details about a threat a student made to carry out a shooting at a high school here.
The threat was reportedly made late Wednesday evening via social media.
“Last night at approximately 11 o’clock, there was a social media post by a student from the Veterans Memorial High School regarding a shooting that was supposed to occur today at Veterans Memorial High School,” Mission Police Chief Cesar Torres said during the news conference.
“That particular social media post was intercepted by our fusion center, which was routed to the Mission Police Department,” he continued. “Shortly after, our criminal investigators from the Mission Police Department responded to the juvenile’s residence. We ended up taking her into custody later regarding the social media post.”
At 12:29 a.m. Wednesday, a concerned parent reported to police that her daughter had received a snapshot of a social media post containing the threat made against the high school. The student who made the thread was only identified as a 15-year-old girl who attended Veterans Memorial High School.
Police visited the girl’s residence and took her into custody at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Torres said the girl later admitted to making the threat on social media. He added that students within the district should know that his department takes all types of threats very seriously.
“We’re in an uproar right now,” Torres said. “Parents are scared. Students are scared. We want all students to succeed in school, however we also ask them to not post these types of posts on social media. If you hear of something, some type of a threat, we ask you to call your local law enforcement and not post something where you don’t have the facts.
“We are prepared to take on any threat to public safety, particularly in our schools,” he added.
Mission CISD Superintendent Carol G. Perez also took to the podium and thanked all the law enforcement agencies who assisted in the investigation, including Alton police, Palmhurst police, the Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, and the district’s safety team. She also took a moment to emphasize that the district’s students were not in any danger.
“In our school district, at Mission CISD, it is zero tolerance for any terroristic threats,” Perez said. “On behalf of our board of trustees and the administration, we are very grateful and we want to thank all of our partners from the bottom of our heart for working so diligently.”
The student remained in custody Thursday and faces a charge of false alarm, a state jail felony, because it involves a school.
