BULVERDE, Texas (AP) — A 15-year-old student shot a teacher at a Texas high school and then fatally shot himself, authorities confirmed Monday.
No other injuries were reported in the shooting at Hill Country College Preparatory High School in Bulverde. The Comal County Sheriff’s Office has yet to disclose the circumstances leading up to the shooting.
The teacher has been transported to an area hospital in San Antonio, though her condition remains unclear. The male student died at the scene, the sheriff’s office indicated, having succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to the school’s social media, a lockdown was initiated at 8:34 a.m., just before the school day began at 8:55 a.m.
Eyewitness accounts from students reveal that loud bangs were heard from the second floor of the building, followed by screams. One student recollected hearing five gunshots followed by yelling before a teacher instructed everyone to get inside a classroom.
After the incident, students were transported to a nearby middle school where parents gathered in long lines, some praying, as they waited to reunite with their children.
As parents expressed their fears, one parent, Jesse Lopez, stated, “It will be difficult to tell my daughter that she has to eventually go back to class.” Adding that his daughter has autism and would likely be afraid to return.
The school, part of the Comal Independent School District, aims to prepare students for college through a curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), along with elective courses in cybersecurity and engineering. Having opened in August 2020, the school now serves approximately 260 students across grades nine through twelve this academic year.
