A shooting threat made by a former Melissa resident forced the Primrose School in Melissa to shut its doors, with the private preschool and kindergarten on Concho Drive closing for the day out of an abundance of caution. The Melissa Police Department confirmed the closure and said it stemmed directly from the threat.
According to a news release from the City of Melissa, “a former resident made a shooting threat, so Primrose Melissa closed, in an abundance of caution.” The department said it has since shared information about the individual with the law enforcement agency where that person currently lives, and that investigators are continuing to coordinate with that agency as the case moves forward. As FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth reported, the school closed Monday following the threat.
What Police Have — and Haven't — Confirmed
Melissa police have not released details about the nature of the threat itself, nor have they identified the suspect. The department's public statement stopped short of naming the person involved or describing how the threat was made, leaving many basic questions about the incident unanswered for now.
The city's news release says the investigation remains active, and that additional information will be shared as appropriate. Beyond confirming the threat came from a former resident and that another agency now has jurisdiction over that person's current location, officials have offered no further specifics.
A Pattern Seen Beyond Melissa
School threats prompting sudden closures aren't unique to Melissa. In Minnesota, both Lakeville North and Lakeville South high schools stayed closed on a Wednesday while police continued investigating threats that had triggered lockdowns the day before, according to KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News. The Melissa case follows a similar script: a threat surfaces, a campus closes as a precaution, and investigators work to track down and assess the person responsible before deciding next steps.
Texas law already requires school districts to have systems in place for exactly this kind of situation. Under Texas Education Code Section 37.115, school boards must establish a threat assessment and safe and supportive school program team for each campus, according to guidance from the Texas Education Agency. Separately, an ABC13 report noted that iWatchTexas data has shown a rise in school-threat reports statewide, though state Department of Public Safety officials attributed part of that increase to greater awareness of reporting programs rather than necessarily more threats being made.
Investigation Remains Open
For now, Melissa police are treating the case as an ongoing matter rather than a resolved one. The department has not said whether anyone has been arrested or charged in connection with the threat, and it has given no indication of when it expects to release further details. Parents and residents watching the case will likely have to wait for the department's next update, which officials say will come once there is more to share.
