After a spate of frightening gun incidents, hoax shooting reports and alleged student threats, the tension is coming to a head.
[Ads /]
Students who would usually face misdemeanors for an offense of making a terroristic threat are now being charged with felonies.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls has been vocal after at least four threats were reported this week at Fort Bend ISD.
"Parents need to have a conversation with their child about the seriousness of posting threats on social media," Nehls added.
Here's how the epidemic of school scares unraveled in Houston after the Parkland school massacre:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018
Day after Florida shooting, student allegedly caught with gun
Student arrested for bringing gun to Houston Can Academy
A 17-year-old student at Houston Can Academy's Hobby campus allegedly tried to enter school with a gun in his backpack, less than 24 hours after the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School.
Screeners at the school allegedly discovered the revolver, sending Jaquinn Alani Smith running away from campus.
The resulting lockdown sent students into a panic as officers searched the grounds for Smith. Many students dialed their parents as fear swelled of another potential scene of campus violence.
Houston police arrested Smith, who is charged with carrying a weapon in a prohibited place.
Dozens of deputies respond to Cy-Fair school after hoax
Students at Danish Elementary School were found safe after false report of a shooting
While the students at Danish Elementary School ended up being alright, no one could be blamed for thinking something serious was going on at their campus last Thursday.
Hours after the lockdown at Houston Can Academy, fears spiked again after someone made a false report of a shooting at the school.
Cy-Fair ISD officials said the tip was fake, but our view from SkyEye13 showed a major law enforcement response.
Two Fort Bend Co. schools targeted in alleged threats
Students arrested after making threats to schools in Fort Bend Co.
Baines Middle School in Missouri City and Harmony School in Katy allegedly received threats through social media. Two students, ages 14 and 15, were arrested after an investigation and charged with making a terroristic threat.
Fort Bend deputies arrested another 15-year-old at Harmony School after it was notified of a second possible threat. The third suspect is accused of stating on Snapchat, "You think you've seen a threat, I'll show you a threat."
[Ads /]
Deputies also said the student allegedly posted video of himself shooting an AR-15 and two Glocks at a gun range.
Second teen charged with making threat against Harmony school
Threat against Clear Creek ISD school under investigation
Officials said they are investigating a threat featuring a photo of a student holding a gun, later determined to have been lifted from a South Carolina news story, with the words "Round 2 of Florida Tomorrow" on social media.
Clear Creek ISD said the threat ended up being a hoax, but it is still pursuing the criminal charges against the accused student.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
Students take cover after threat at HISD middle school
Student facing charges after hoax threat sparks lockdown
Frantic parents rushed to HISD's Stevenson Middle School after a student allegedly posted a threat to Snapchat.
While officials said the threat was not credible, students described hiding in closets and under desks after the school was placed on lockdown for two hours.
The student accused of making the threat was found sick at home with his mom. Police said he had no weapons. He faces terroristic threat charges.
Hitchcock High School: 'Another Florida'
Student allegedly threatens to turn school into 'another Florida'
An 18-year-old student, Oryan McFadden, is facing felony charges after he allegedly threatened violence when a teacher discovered he was cheating on an exam.
The felony charge comes after Galveston County District Attorney's Office sought to enhance the ordinary misdemeanor that follows a charge of making a terroristic threat.
[Ads /]
McFadden was arrested on Monday while he and his parents were meeting with school administrators.
Katy ISD student's Snapchat photos cause a stir
Students at Taylor High School saw something and decided to say something.
Parents said they were glad the district took their concerns seriously after a 14-year-old student took pictures of his pellet gun and air gun on Snapchat.
Katy ISD police visited the student's home and found no threat.
'General' threat under investigation at Deer Park ISD
The district said two separate threats at Deer Park Junior High are under investigation, including one that was reportedly scrawled on a marker board. The district said the second threat occurred last week.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018
Shotgun snap spooks students at Needville Junior High
Needville Junior High student charged for alleged Snapchat threat
A 14-year-old student is facing felony charges after he allegedly posted an image of a shotgun on Snapchat with the caption, "Don't come to skoo tm @needvill."
The student allegedly was heard by another student saying, "I'm not scared, I'm planning on doing this."
Now he's in the Fort Bend County juvenile detention facility.
Two threats, two students, one day in La Porte
2 students accused of violent threats at La Porte HS
Officials said two students were arrested at La Porte High School after allegedly making two separate and unrelated threats of violence against the school.They are both facing terroristic threat charges.
Threat against C.E. King Middle School under investigation
Sheldon ISD officials said compliance checks would be conducted at the middle school after a student allegedly posted a threatening message on social media. The matter is still under investigation.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018
POLICE: 12-year-old threatened to "shoot-up" KIPP school
Chief Acevedo talks abourt threat made against KIPP in Sharpstown
During a press conference, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said officers investigated an alleged threat against KIPP in Sharpstown.
The child accused is only 12 years old, and allegedly threatened to "shoot up the school" of 400 students with an AR-15.
Crisis Intervention Team called in to handle accused student
Ridge Point HS student accused of making threat
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said after a student allegedly made a terroristic threat online against Ridge Point High School, "circumstances" required deputies to call in a crisis intervention team.
A report will be filed with the district attorney's office, the sheriff said.
Student arrested at Porter HS after alleged early morning threat
New Caney ISD officials said a Porter High School student was charged with making a terroristic threat after allegedly making a verbal threat before the start of school.
The district released this statement Wednesday:
Porter High School campus administration received notification that a student allegedly made a verbal threat against the high school before school this morning. The student was detained without incident and arrested by New Caney ISD Police. There was no weapon involved. When a criminal act allegedly occurs on school property, the incident is referred to the Montgomery County Juvenile Prosecutors Office. The student was charged with making a terroristic threat.
New Caney ISD encourages students, staff, and the public to report any concerns regarding school safety to school administration. Reports can be made directly to school officials or through the district's Safe School Reporting program available on all school websites. The District takes all incidents seriously and will continue to react accordingly in order to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Big Sandy ISD beefs up security after verbal threat
District officials at Big Sandy ISD said a report of a verbal threat at Big Sandy High School prompted them to contact police, who are investigating.
There is no word of any arrests.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018
Student arrested for making threat against Cleveland ISD
Student charged with making threat against Cleveland HS
Eighteen-year-old Brody Alton is accused of making a threat against Cleveland High School. School district police said a video on social media of the student firing a semi-automatic weapon was posted along with a banner on the clip referring to the school.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018
Lockdown lifted at KIPP Sunnyside HS after report of shooting threat
Lockdown lifted at KIPP Sunnyside HS
KIPP Houston Sunnyside High School was on lockdown Tuesday after officers received report of a threat via Twitter.
Police say they received a call from the school about the threat at 8:50 a.m.
Officers arrived and searched the campus.
They determined there was no danger at the school, and officials lifted the lockdown.
However, police say they do have possible suspects as they investigate the case.
They warned again that they take these types of threats seriously and students who make threats can be arrested.