Two teenage girls are reportedly in custody after allegedly planning a “mass casualty” attack at Memorial High School in Houston.
According to ABC News and local media outlet KHOU-TV, the FBI received information earlier this week that the “mass casualty attack” threat included pipe bombs and guns. Law enforcement sources also told ABC News that the threats were communicated between the two girls, who are aged 15 and 16... Continue reading here ▶
The outlet reports that the FBI called local law enforcement partners in Montgomery County, Harris County and Spring Branch Independent School District at around 2:45 p.m. local time on Feb. 18 to help find the teens.
The girls were then reportedly located just 30 minutes later before being taken into custody, law enforcement sources told the outlet.
“FBI Houston received information yesterday that two underage teenagers from the Houston area were plotting a mass casualty attack at a local school,” FBI Houston wrote in a statement on Facebook on Feb. 19.
Officials added, “Our Threat Mitigation Team immediately responded to help Spring Branch ISD Police Department, Houston Police Department and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office identify and arrest them.”
“This situation is why FBI Houston exists: to protect our community and assist our partners,” the statement continued. “We received troubling information, conducted a rapid investigation, shared our findings with trusted law enforcement partners, and ultimately saved lives.”
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed in a statement on Feb. 20 that they were “actively investigating a criminal case involving online threats made by two students.”
“While this remains an active investigation, we can confirm that one of the individuals involved is a student at Willis High School and is currently in custody on unrelated charges,” they continued. “The second individual, a juvenile student from Spring Branch ISD, is currently in custody in Harris County. Evidence suggests their intent was to carry out acts of violence at a school in Spring Branch ISD.”
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office added that additional security measures have been put in place to protect schools and people in the area.
Officials also urged “the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.
Spring Branch ISDF Chief Larry Baimbridge told ABC News that the 16-year-old, who is a student at Memorial High School, is being held on a charge of making a terroristic threat.
“This planned attack wouldn’t have been stopped without exceptionally close partnerships between FBI Houston, Spring Branch ISD Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and Houston Police Department,” FBI Houston spokesman Connor Hagan said in a statement, per the outlet.
“We were able to take troubling information we received, conduct a rapid investigation, turn our results over to trusted local law enforcement partners, and ultimately save lives of innocent students,” Hagan added. “This type of situation is exactly why the FBI exists.”
PEOPLE has contacted FBI Houston, the Spring Branch ISD Police Department, the Houston Police Department, Memorial High School and Willis High School for further comment.
