Image 1 of 2 ▼

Akins High School was placed on lockdown earlier on Thursday following threats from a former student, according to officials.

Austin ISD police said the suspect, a former 17-year-old student, boarded a school bus in the morning and made a verbal threat. When the suspect arrived at Akins High School, more threats were made. The suspect then left the school property. AISD Interim Police Chief Chris Evoy said the 17-year-old threatened to "shoot and blow up the school."

Police located the suspect off campus at Southpark Meadows and took the suspect into custody. Officials say they found ammunition and a magazine, but no gun was recovered from the student's backpack. Other parts of the backpack are still under investigation. The suspect was arrested for terroristic threat, a third degree felony, according to Austin ISD police.

Sources close to the investigation told FOX 7 that the suspect was kicked out of school two weeks ago because of an attendance issue, not because of previous threats.

All students and staff were safe and no injuries were reported. Police conducted a full search of the exterior and interior of the building, eventually lifting the lockdown.


Parents and guardians waited almost three hours to be able to pick up their kids. AISD is holding a meeting for parents of Akins students Thursday night at 6:30 at the high school.

Police are still investigating the incident. They are also looking into two other individuals possibly connected.