On January 12th, a note was left in a Devine Middle School restroom detailing a violent threat toward the school. “Devine Police, along with the Medina County Sheriff’s Office and an S.A.P.D. A detective with the Texas Fusion Center met with Devine I.S.D. personnel and conducted an investigation into the note that was found,” Devine PD said in a press release. 

A search for who wrote the note began immediately. DMS staff provided handwriting samples from students to Devine PD and local law enforcement. After several hours, a possible match was found. The student was soon identified along with the accomplice. According to Devine PD, “Two Juvenile Females are charged with the felony offense of Terroristic Threat-Impede Public Services/Pub Fear SBI, which is a 3rd-degree felony offense.”

A 3rd-degree felony offense in Texas can carry a penalty of 2 to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. 

This event made a lot of students, teachers, and parents a bit uneasy. It was a harsh reminder that the possibility of something like this is very real and could happen to anyone. Thankfully, Devine ISD has strict protocol regarding violent school threats. It is also good to know that Devine police do not take these threats lightly. 

Since the middle school and high school campuses sit side by side to each other, it is natural that high school students were concerned to learn the news of the threat, especially in such close proximity to DHS.

“It was pretty nerve-racking to hear that there was a threat at the middle school,” said junior Raynee Allen. 

“It’s unfortunate that stuff like this is happening all over the country,” added Allen. 

Violent threats are not at all uncommon these days. Just last month a “trend” went around the internet where kids would threaten violence against their schools on the same day. On that day, there was a lot more security than usual here on the DHS campus and staff was alert at all times. 

Because the charges on the two girls that threatened the middle school were so harsh, it begs the question: will there be other threats anytime soon? The overall goal for Devine ISD and schools everywhere is to put an end to school violence so the young people in the community can remain safe.