Willis – Two students at Willis High School were taken into custody Tuesday morning after making statements about having a bomb, according to school officials, as the campus began implementing heightened security measures following a string of gun-related incidents.
The latest incident comes just one day after administrators discovered a gun inside a student’s backpack, prompting a campus hold and the student’s arrest.
In an email sent to families Tuesday, Principal Tiffany Mathews said two students made verbal statements to staff about having a bomb. Both students reportedly claimed they were joking, but school resource officers responded and took them into custody.
“We want to be very clear: statements about bombs, weapons or violence are never a joke,” Mathews wrote. “Even when students say they are joking, these statements must be treated as a serious safety concern and investigated accordingly.”
School officials have not reported finding an actual explosive device in connection with Tuesday’s incident.
The incident adds to growing concerns among parents following multiple reports involving weapons or threats at the high school since the start of the school year.
Metal detectors and backpack searches begin Tuesday
Tuesday marked the first day every student at Willis High School was required to pass through a metal detector and have their backpack searched before entering the building.
Students told KPRC 2 there were delays getting into the building with some being late to class.
The new measures were announced Monday afternoon after a gun was discovered in a student’s backpack.
On Tuesday, the principal told families the clear backpack policy is going into effect September 28. The school will provide one or families can purchase them.
According to the district, administrators received a report on Monday that a student had a gun in their backpack. The backpack was already secured when the report came in, and the school entered a hold while administrators investigated.
A search confirmed the presence of a gun, which was confiscated by a school resource officer. The student was subsequently taken into custody.
The hold was lifted before noon.
It was the second gun found on campus this school year. The district has not specified whether Monday’s firearm was loaded.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that it is working closely with Willis ISD to implement additional safety measures.
Those changes include mandatory metal detector screenings, backpack searches and plans to transition to clear backpacks in the coming weeks.
The sheriff’s office also announced that law enforcement presence will be increased across Willis ISD campuses, extending the additional security beyond Willis High School.
Five incidents involving guns, threats or concerning images since August
Tuesday’s bomb-related statements mark the fifth reported incident involving firearms, threats or concerning weapon-related images at Willis High School in less than a month.
According to emails sent to families and obtained by KPRC 2, the incidents include:
- Aug. 26: An administrator searching a student suspected of vaping discovered a loaded gun in her backpack. The student claimed she was unaware the gun was inside the borrowed backpack and was taken into custody.
- Aug. 27: A student was taken into custody after threatening to shoot classmates. The student later claimed he was joking.
- Aug. 31: School officials investigated social media images, including one depicting a video game character aiming a gun at the high school. The district said no direct threats accompanied the images.
- Sept. 21: A second gun was discovered in a student’s backpack, prompting a campus hold and the student’s arrest.
- Sept. 22: Two students were taken into custody after making verbal statements to staff about having a bomb. Both reportedly claimed they were joking.
Sheriff’s office warns threats can lead to criminal charges
In a statement Tuesday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that comments about school violence can carry serious consequences, even when students claim they were joking.
The agency said threatening statements, social media posts and messages can result in school discipline, criminal investigations and arrests when warranted.
The sheriff’s office also reminded families that Texas law prohibits firearms on school premises.
Under Texas Penal Code Section 46.03, unlawfully bringing or possessing a firearm on school premises can constitute a third-degree felony, generally punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The agency also noted that Texas law requires expulsion for students who bring firearms to school.
The sheriff’s office and Willis ISD are encouraging students and families to report concerning behavior, threats or information about weapons to school officials or law enforcement.
Mathews urged parents to discuss the seriousness of threatening statements with their children.
“If they hear something concerning, they should report it to an adult rather than repeat it, share it, or assume it is a joke,” she wrote.
The district has not announced an exact date for the clear backpack requirement.
