Canyon Middle School in New Braunfels went into lockdown Friday morning after a phoned-in threat around 9 a.m. Police swept classrooms and hallways while students and staff remained behind locked doors, and no injuries were reported.
Authorities later said the call was traced to Philadelphia and determined to be a spoof, according to News 4 San Antonio. During the sweep a student was detained, and administrators coordinated parent pickups and student releases upon request.
Police presence, lockdown timeline and campus sweep
The San Antonio Express-News reported that the lockdown began at about 9:10 a.m. and remained in effect as of 10:20 a.m. Officers from the New Braunfels Police Department, New Braunfels Fire Department and the Comal County Sheriff's Office responded to the school. New Braunfels police spokesman David Ferguson told the paper there were "no reports of injuries or violence at this time" and urged the public to steer clear of the area while officers worked through the building.
District updates parents on social media
Comal ISD used its social media channels to tell families that Canyon Middle remained under lockdown while officials coordinated closely with law enforcement, according to MySA. The district did not immediately release additional information about the nature of the threat call.
False threats have led to arrests before
Authorities in the area have previously tracked prank or false threats back to students and others, sometimes ending in arrests. In one earlier case, a 15-year-old was arrested after a false gun threat led to a lengthy lockdown at New Braunfels High School in September 2022, KTSA reported. Officials did not say whether the student detained during Friday's sweep at Canyon Middle might face charges, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
Police said the investigation into the spoof call would continue and that more details will be released as they become available. This story will be updated as officials share additional information.
