A student may have displayed a gun in an off-campus incident near Slaughter Lane late Monday, prompting Austin ISD police to increase their presence at Akins Early College High School on Tuesday. The report was shared with families in a letter from Principal Carma DeLeon, who said the incident was reported to both the Austin Police Department and the campus school resource officer.
According to the letter cited by FOX 7 Austin, the alleged gun display happened off campus, meaning the Austin Police Department is leading the criminal investigation while AISD police focus on campus safety protocols and increasing officer visibility at the South First Street school. That division of labor has become familiar to Austin ISD families this year: in safety incidents near district campuses, municipal police typically handle off-campus investigations while AISD police manage student movement, security holds, and school resource officer deployment, as Hoodline has previously detailed following a similar scare near Navarro High School.
Principal Cites Weight Of Past Incidents
DeLeon told families the news was stressful given that Akins has dealt with similar incidents before, according to the letter obtained by FOX 7 Austin. She said all reported incidents are taken seriously and investigated immediately, and she reminded students and others to report suspicious activity.
That history is not abstract. In March 2025, a 17-year-old Akins student was shot in the back at a bus stop near campus on South First Street, an attack that led to the arrest of two 14-year-old suspects. Updates involved Austin Police and AISD Police, per the station's report. The shooting forced the campus into a 90-minute security Hold followed by a brief Secure status while officers searched the area near the school for the gunman.
Akins has also weathered weapons scares from inside its own walls. In January 2021, the campus went into lockdown after three students were reported with a weapon in a restroom; police recovered two firearm magazines, one loaded with live ammunition, though no gun was found on campus that day, according to KVUE.
What Hold, Secure And Lockdown Actually Mean
Austin ISD defines its emergency response levels precisely. A Hold keeps students inside classrooms while hallways are cleared, a Secure locks all exterior campus doors, and a Lockdown locks interior classroom doors with students hiding inside, per the same protocols FOX 7 Austin outlined during the 2025 bus stop shooting.
The current case is not Akins' only brush with gun concerns across the district this year. In March, a student brought a loaded gun to Anderson High School, triggering a 20-minute security hold, Hoodline reported at the time — part of what has become an ongoing pattern of weapon-related disruptions across Austin ISD high schools.
Legal Stakes For Firearms Near Campus
Texas law treats firearms near schools with particular severity. Under Texas Penal Code Section 46.03, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly possessing or going with a firearm on specified school premises or grounds, or on school transportation, is a third-degree felony, according to James Gill Law. While no shots were reported on campus in this latest incident, that statute underscores the high stakes of possessing or going with a firearm on specified school premises, grounds, or school transportation as the investigation continues.
Staffing patterns at Akins are also shaped by state law. Texas House Bill 3, passed by both legislative chambers on May 28, 2023, requires an armed security officer during regular instructional hours, per the Texas School Safety Center. The law does allow districts facing personnel or funding shortages to claim a good cause exception and rely on alternative security plans, such as trained school marshals or armed staff, which helps explain the staffing pressures districts like Austin ISD navigate while trying to keep officers on every campus.
Akins Early College High School, located at 10701 South First Street in South Austin, serves high school students within Austin ISD. Families with questions or concerns can reach the school at 512-841-9900, while Austin ISD police can be contacted at 512-414-1703.
