Students at Lexington Middle and High Schools spent a tense end to the school day Thursday after an anonymous caller claimed someone inside a middle-school restroom had a loaded weapon and multiple pipe bombs. Law enforcement swept both campuses, relocated students to the Lexington Park Building and then, after a bomb sweep turned up nothing, dismissed students one classroom at a time.
In a letter to families, Superintendent Dr. Cliff Lightfoot said multiple agencies "responded within a few minutes" and praised staff and first responders for their quick action, calling it "a very inconvenient end to the day." According to Lexington ISD, a bomb-search team swept every building and determined the call was likely a deliberate hoax.
Lexington Police say the anonymous tip arrived just after 3 p.m., with the caller claiming to be inside a restroom at Lexington Middle School with a loaded gun and "multiple pipe bombs," according to KEYE. Multiple agencies, including a Bastrop County SWAT team, placed both the middle and high schools on lockdown and conducted a room-by-room search.
District updates said students were moved as a precaution to the Lexington Park Building and released in a controlled reunification process, and bus routes ran about 45 minutes late. Per Lexington ISD, students and staff were allowed to reenter campus to collect belongings through 7:30 p.m., and campuses would open for limited hours the next morning for item pickup.
Investigation and legal risk
Officials told investigators the call appears deliberate and they are working to identify who made it, according to KEYE. Under Texas law, knowingly circulating a false report of a bombing, fire or other emergency that affects a public primary or secondary school can be charged as a state-jail felony under Texas Penal Code §42.06, as summarized by FindLaw.
Lightfoot thanked staff and first responders and said the district's reunification plan was adjusted on the fly to protect students. Investigators say charges could follow if they locate the person responsible, and parents in the area were told to expect follow-up communication as the probe continues.
