An unexplained odor on the fourth floor of the Bexar County Justice Center set off a pair of investigations on Friday, Feb. 27, as the District Attorney’s administration opened an internal review and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office launched its own inquiry. The smell was reported in public areas where prosecutors work, even though many prosecutor suites sit behind locked doors. Courthouse operations continued as deputies and DA staff checked out the scene.
According to KENS5, the DA’s office said it received an anonymous tip claiming someone inside the office was "smoking weed … and the entire division smelled it," prompting the administration to launch an internal investigation. The sheriff’s office confirmed that deputies were looking into the reported odor, but officials did not announce any arrests, evacuations or closures tied to the complaint.
What officials said
The DA’s administration told reporters that "no individual or specific space has been linked to the odor or to drug possession," and that investigators would follow standard procedures as they try to pin down the source, according to KENS5. County spokespeople did not offer a timeline for the probe or say when findings might be made public.
For now, officials are treating the mysterious scent like any other courthouse issue that lands on their desk. It gets documented, investigated and, at least publicly, handled without any rush to judgment about what, if anything, was burning.
Policy and public access
The fourth floor of the Justice Center is open to the public, even though many prosecutor work areas remain behind locked doors. County rules prohibit smoking and vaping inside court buildings, per the Bexar County courthouse security page. Visitors and staff were asked to pass along anything suspicious to court security while deputies complete their inquiries.
Investigators are working to determine whether the odor came from an innocuous source, a maintenance issue or potential misconduct. The DA’s office has said it will provide updates once the internal review wraps up. Until then, routine court business continues at the downtown justice complex, even as officials try to clear the air about what really happened on the fourth floor.
