AUSTIN, Texas — A man connected to a threat against an Austin elementary school has been arrested, according to the Austin Police Department (APD).
Hill Elementary School in northwest Austin increased its law enforcement presence Friday morning after a 29-year-old man was arrested for a threat reported Thursday night.
APD confirmed one of the man's family members notified them of his threat against the school, and an affidavit obtained by KVUE states the man has schizophrenia and suffers from delusional thoughts. Jail records show he's facing a terroristic threat charge and is being held on a $100,000 bond. Under his bond conditions, he cannot have guns and he must undergo a mental health evaluation.
Some parents of Hill Elementary students decided to keep their kids home on Friday after they got an email from the district Thursday night about the threat.
"Just kind of trying to digest that at night and not really having a lot of ways to get answers until the next day," said Anna Ansari, a Hill Elementary parent. "I think that was the hardest thing and just trying to process, 'Do we feel safe going to school? Do we not?'"
In an email to Hill Elementary families, the principal said Austin ISD Police Department officers would be on and around the campus during the school day on Friday.
That was a comfort to some parents like Tava Barac, who is also a substitute teacher at the school.
“I also know that they’re super safe here, and that they would never have us come back to campus if it wasn’t going to be safe for us and the kids," Barac said.
But with all the threats spreading on social media across Central Texas right now, Barac said she's eager for districts take a harsh stance on their punishments.
“If there aren’t any big consequences, then who knows where that could lead in the future, as far as other kids being like, 'OK, no consequences, we’re all just going to do this now as a joke.' But it's not a joke," Barac said.
Hill Elementary will hold a special meeting in the library on Monday at 7:45 a.m. to discuss campus safety protocols.
Austin ISD said there is no existing threat to the campus.