SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance at East Central High School on Monday morning, and it turns out it may have all been a hoax.
East Central ISD Superintendent Roland Toscano said the ECISD police department received a call shortly before classes started that mentioned a specific student. There was also what sounded like gunfire in the background of the call, which prompted several law enforcement agencies to check and clear the campus.
No evidence of a shooter or shooting was found, and Toscano said all staff and students were safe and accounted for.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office later said it appeared the call had come in from outside of the United States and was intended to cause panic.
The student who was named in the original phone call was not on campus at the time. He was originally detained several miles away, but BCSO said he was later released.
The student is believed to be the victim of “swatting” — where a fake 911 call results in a large police presence. A BCSO spokesman says the investigation is ongoing.
Even though there was no true emergency on campus, the district allowed parents to pick up their children if they chose to do so. Parents were instructed to park near the employee parking lot and walk to the Patterson Center.
“Ultimately, it’s an unfortunate situation,” Toscano said. “And for anybody who does these sorts of things intentionally, it deploys a lot of resources, scares a lot of people, and shame on whoever was responsible. I would encourage you folks to really think twice about doing such a thing. It really affects people and communities in a negative way.”
UPDATE: 9:38 am- THE SCHOOL IS SECURE. Law Enforcement will be conducting a secondary search as a precaution. AT THIS...
Posted by Bexar County Sheriff's Office on Monday, September 25, 2023