HAYS COUNTY, Texas — On Thursday afternoon, Hays CISD announced that more threats had been made against against Simon and Chapa middle schools.
All the scares over the past two weeks have led to five students, all between the ages of 11 and 15, being arrested and charged with felonies for offenses like false reporting and firearms threats.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office says it takes every threat seriously.
“These aren't hoaxes, but they're also not planned, active attacks,” Dep. Anthony Hipolito said. "They are kids who are essentially trying to get a rise, or cause alarm by saying 'Hey, there's gonna be a school shooting here.'"
Hipolito says the sheriff's office doesn't find the threats funny at all.
“It doesn't matter if they're joking," Hipolito said. "In today's world we have to take everything seriously, and when they're causing that alarm, we're gonna hold them accountable because this has to stop."
Hipolito says threats are always taken seriously because all threats can cause panic, even ones that aren't real.
“They're gonna post it on their social media. Parents are gonna rush to the school to get their kids out of the school,” Hipolito said. “When you cause that type of panic, you are breaking the law."
Hipolito says they work to find the source of the threats, but even those who share or repost the threats are subject to the same consequences. He says the surge is coming from trends on social media that can "spread like wildfire" in communities, and can even reach the other side of the country via social media.
Hipolito says they don't enjoy arresting minors, but their job is to keep schools safe.
“We have to make an example out of somebody, right? It's important that we send a message that it's not appropriate, it needs to stop,” Hipolito said.
Hipolito says a combination of Hays County Crime Stoppers anonymous tips, I-Watch and students coming forward has led to the sheriff's office being able to track down the ones making the threats quickly, while he encourages others to step forward if they see or hear anything suspicious.