San Marcos HS hoax threat call: Juvenile in Washington state arrested, charged

SAN MARCOS, Texas - A juvenile in Washington state has been arrested and charged in connection with a threat call against San Marcos High School in September.

San Marcos police say the juvenile was served charges on Dec. 5 related to the Sept. 24 false report of an active shooter at San Marcos HS. They were arrested in Whitman County, Washington.

The juvenile is facing charges of terroristic threat and false alarm/report for this call, and other charges for similar calls.

What happened at San Marcos High School on Sept. 24?

On Sept. 24, police received a 911 call just after 3:30 p.m. in which a single person reported seeing a male with a gun in the hallway at the high school.

The caller told dispatchers he had followed the student into a bathroom before the dispatcher heard two gunshots about a minute apart. 

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That call prompted the high school to go on lockdown and the response of more than 150 personnel from multiple law enforcement agencies.

Law enforcement searched the campus and San Marcos police confirmed no shots had been fired, and no injuries were reported. 

The investigation into the call

The day after the incident, SMPD Chief Stan Standridge said that the caller identified himself by name and provided a verified phone number, one that police later determined had been ‘spoofed’.

SMPD says that information collected through data from the original phone call suggested it was related to a series of other similar calls across the country, including a threat that targeted the Lewiston Police Department.

Search warrants uncovered digital evidence from the juvenile's cell phone and computers seized at his home which linked them to the calls targeting San Marcos HS and the Lewiston Police Department.

Data and information collected throughout the investigation has also been shared with the FBI and other agencies and may result in additional charges, says SMPD.

SMPD says it will not release the juvenile suspect’s name. As of Dec. 10, the juvenile remains in custody and his prosecution is being coordinated with the Hays County District Attorney’s Office.