A loaded gun, a knife assault and threats involving Houston-area schools have raised questions for parents just weeks into the new school year.
The incidents are happening as the FBI Houston Field Office investigates a record number of school-threat reports from the previous school year. According to an August report from KPRC 2, the FBI investigated 42 reported school threats during the 2025-26 school year.
The recent incidents involve different circumstances, and not every report resulted in a confirmed threat or weapon.
A timeline of recent Houston-area incidents
Sept. 22 — Willis High School
Two students were taken into custody after allegedly making comments about having a bomb, according to reporting. The incident happened one day after a loaded gun was found on the campus.
There was no reported bomb found in connection with the Sept. 22 incident.
Sept. 21 — Willis High School
A loaded gun was found inside a student’s backpack after a report was made to the school.
The campus was placed on hold while authorities investigated, and the student was taken into custody.
The district subsequently announced additional security measures, including metal detectors and backpack searches, with plans for clear backpacks.
Sept. 17 — Jersey Village High School
A student was injured during an altercation after another student allegedly produced a kitchen knife and cut the student’s arm.
Cy-Fair ISD police disarmed and detained the student with the knife. The injured student was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Sept. 14 — Hastings High School
A staff member was injured during an incident at Hastings High School, according to Alief ISD.
The campus briefly entered secure mode while emergency responders were present. The district had not publicly released additional details about the circumstances in the latest reporting.
Aug. 20 — Attucks Middle School
A district employee discovered a man’s body on school property while doing grounds maintenance.
Houston police investigated. HISD said the death was unrelated to the school and did not pose a threat to students or staff. The campus was placed in secure mode for about 10 minutes as a precaution.
Willis sees several incidents
Willis High School has experienced several safety-related incidents since the start of the school year.
The district previously reported a loaded gun found in a student’s backpack on Aug. 26, followed the next day by an alleged threat to shoot classmates.
On Aug. 31, the district investigated gun-related images circulating online.
A second loaded gun was found on campus Sept. 21, followed by the alleged bomb-related comments Sept. 22.
The district has said that only two of those earlier incidents involved actual firearms being brought onto campus; other incidents involved a verbal threat or social-media images.
What should parents know?
Law enforcement officials interviewed by KPRC 2 say parents can take several steps before an emergency happens.
First, know how your child’s school communicates during an emergency. Find out whether alerts are sent by text, email, phone call or another system, and make sure your contact information is current.
Parents should also know who to contact at the school, including administrators and the campus school resource officer.
Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith of the National Police Association recommends parents establish relationships with the people working at their child’s school.
“Make sure you are talking to actual human beings—the principal, the teachers, the counselors, the school resource officer,” she said.
Houston Police Officers’ Union spokesman Ken Nealy also emphasized communication between parents, students, school administrators and law enforcement.
He said parents should ask their children about concerns they may be experiencing at school and make sure those concerns are communicated to adults who can address them.
What about emergency alerts?
Parents should not assume they will automatically know what is happening simply because they receive school notifications.
Check your district’s website and communication systems at the beginning of the school year. Confirm that your phone number and email address are correct and that you are enrolled in emergency notifications.
If a school sends an emergency alert, Nealy said parents should follow the instructions provided by the district.
That may mean waiting for additional information rather than immediately going to campus.
Should parents check backpacks?
Both law-enforcement sources interviewed by KPRC 2 said parents can consider checking their children’s belongings, particularly when they have concerns about what a child may be experiencing.
Nealy said parents should also talk with their children about conflicts, threats or other concerns they encounter at school.
Brantner Smith emphasized that parents should establish expectations about devices and social media and maintain awareness of what their children are experiencing online.
Five questions every parent should ask tonight
1. How will I be notified during an emergency?
Make sure your contact information is current and you know which system your district uses.
2. How can my child report a threat or safety concern?
Ask whether the school has an anonymous reporting system and make sure your child knows how to use it.
3. Who is the school resource officer?
Know the officer assigned to your campus and how students and parents can contact them.
4. What happens during a lockdown or secure mode?
Ask what those terms mean at your child’s school and what parents should do if they receive an alert.
5. Where can my child get support after an incident?
Find out what counselors and other resources are available to students following a traumatic event.
If you get a lockdown alert
Your first instinct may be to go to the school. But law enforcement officials say parents should avoid entering an active emergency scene.
Follow the school’s instructions and wait for information about when and where parents should reunite with their children.
If there is an immediate threat or emergency, call 911.
For non-emergency safety concerns, contact your child’s campus or school district and use the reporting system provided by the school.
The goal isn’t to tell parents that schools are unsafe. It is to make sure families understand the plans already in place—and know what to do before an emergency happens.
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