SAN ANTONIO — Burbank High School parents say disturbing images of a teen boy with a gun inside the school started spreading on social media sometime Monday.
In one image, the boy can be seen sitting at a desk in a classroom. With a pencil and a soft drink in the foreground, the teen appears to be mugging for the camera with a handgun in front of his face. Other students can be seen in the background nearby.
In another image, someone familiar with the interior of the campus identified the background as a boy's bathroom. Again, the teen in a long-sleeved gray shirt who is wearing a distinctive watch is hiding his face with a handgun.
She said “It was big on social media and these students continually posted all day long—pictures of themselves in different locations in the school with guns," said one mother who didn't want her name to be used for this story due to concerns of retaliation.
School officials said they became aware of the threat at 1:30 p.m. By 1:46 p.m., a student was in handcuffs.
A statement from the district said that when a student came forward with the information, campus administration immediately notified school police officers.
“There was no direct threat to anyone, and only one student was involved. The campus remained safe, and the letter was sent to keep parents informed,” the statement reads.
“There was no lockdown. The students were on campus all day, with weapons!" said the mother who reviewed the disturbing images with her child. "He was apprehended on the second floor of the Burbank school building in the hallway.”
The teen appeared before a juvenile judge Tuesday morning and was ordered detained for at least 10 days, charged with "Places Weapons Prohibited."
Wearing shackles on his hands and feet and shuffling to appear in court, the teen spoke softly to Judge Rose Sosa, with his mother standing nearby.
A prosecutor told the judge, “At this time we are recommending he remain detained as he is not allowing himself to be adequately supervised and may be a danger to himself or others.”
Choosing a cautious approach, and citing his recent criminal past, the judge ordered that the teen be detained for 10 days.
Anyone with information about possible threats can notify the district anonymously here.
Here is the letter sent to parents by Principal Irene Talamantes:
"Dear Families and Staff,
"I want to inform you of an incident that happened on campus today. It was reported to administration that a student brought a weapon to school. Administration and our district police officers investigated and detained a student.
"We take these types of incidents seriously, and consequences will follow our student code of conduct. Our goal is to ensure safety at all times and to retain a calm and productive learning environment for all students.
"Student safety is a top priority at SAISD schools, and we want to keep families informed of situations as soon as we are able. Thank you for your support and understanding."
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