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San Antonio – San Antonio police responded to a downtown high school Monday afternoon for what turned out to be a hoax.
About 500 students at Central Catholic High School were evacuated from the school as San Antonio Police Department officers cordoned off and cleared campus rooms. 1403 North St. Mary’s St.
Students were allowed back into the building, and officials said they would record all students’ attendance before releasing them to their parents, said Christine Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the school.
Rodriguez emailed parents at 2:44 a.m. to let them know the emergency lockdown had been lifted and that the school would provide more information as it became available.
The school authorities informed that the students will be counselled. Extracurricular activities will resume as scheduled, but parents will have the option to take their children home if they wish, officials said.
SAPD Chief William McManus was among the officers who responded to the scene.
He said there has been a growing trend of “swatting” calls – an attempt to coerce police into a specific location under the false pretense of a threat – across the country this year.
He said the emergency response was “fantastic.”
McManus said the department learned lessons after the massacre at Uvalde Elementary School in May.
Last month, a chaotic scene played out at Jefferson High School last month, where a hoax call sparked a massive police response. However, in that case, before the police cleared the building completely, desperate parents thronged the school in an attempt to retrieve their child.
Parents were upset that more information was not provided sooner. The school district, SAISD, later agreed to adjust the policy to better inform parents.
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