Hays student arrested in bomb threat

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - After receiving tips from several students, the Hays County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday arrested a 15-year-old on a charge of making a terroristic threat against teachers and other students.

"He admitted to being involved in these threats," said Sheriff Gary Cutler with the Hays County Sheriff's Office.

"We need to commend these students at Hays High School that came forward. They recognized a threat, and did the right thing. We appreciate them doing that," he said.

The boy's name was not released because of his age, but officials said he "informed classmates of his intent to set off bombs" at Hays High School in Buda. The boy is a student at the high school and lives in Buda.

"Nobody was any imminent danger, that's the important thing to remember. It was in the preliminary
planning stage," said Dr. David Pierce, Principal for Hays High School.

"Lots of times we find out about things before they happen, so we're able to be proactive rather than
reactive. So, this is just another case of that," he said.

E-mail notifications about the threat were sent to parents and students on Thursday afternoon, more than 24 hours after police started their investigation.

"A little shocked that parents weren't notified up until the press release today," said Ray, a parent of a Hays High School student. "I mean, we figure we would have been notified with a note or warning or something yesterday afternoon (and) would have been sent home with the children."

"I'm very upset," said Jackie Klaus, another parent. "This is something you don't take lightly."

Sheriff Cutler said his officers obtained a warrant to search the boy's home. No bomb-making materials were found, he said.

But the boy told authorities he was in the "initial" planning stages of carrying out the threat, Cutler said.

The boy faces a Class B misdemeanor charge of making a terroristic threat and was placed in juvenile detention.