UPDATED 11:48 to include statement from the school district.
LA JOYA — La Joya Juarez-Lincoln High School was placed on lockdown Wednesday morning as authorities searched a nearby brush area for a man suspected in the theft of a black Jeep Cherokee.
The lockdown was lifted at 10:00 a.m., according to a statement issued by the La Joya School District.
The vehicle, which had previously been reported stolen to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s office, was spotted by the vehicle’s owner at a convenience store located near the high school, according to the statement.
Deputies were dispatched to the area just before 9 a.m., according to Sergeant J.P. Rodriguez.
The suspect is a student at the campus but as an Hidalgo County deputy constable attempted to make contact with the teenager, he ran from officers and fled the building, the district stated.
The constable’s office requested that the school be placed on lockdown to secure the perimeter.
Rodriguez said the suspect has still not been located and the sheriff’s office is currently conducting an investigation into the incident.
