On Wednesday, authorities confirmed the 15-year-old student who officials say shot a teacher used a gun belonging to his grandfather.
SAN ANTONIO — The Comal ISD community was rocked this week when authorities say a student at Hill Country College Preparatory High School in Bulverde brought a gun to campus and shot a teacher before turning the gun on himself.
The shooting remains under investigation, with the Comal County Sheriff’s Office leading the probe, as the district offers resources for those who need it.
Here’s what we know about the shooting on the morning of Monday, March 30, as the probe continues.
What happened?
Authorities say the shots rang out when a 15-year-old male student at the school shot a female teacher on campus around 8:30 a.m. Sheriff’s deputies in Comal County later said the student then took his own life at the scene.
Law enforcement flocked to the scene to secure the campus as students and staff were taken by bus to Bulverde Middle School about four miles away, where they were reunited with parents.
The teacher, who hasn’t been identified, was taken to a San Antonio hospital where she remains recovering as of Wednesday. The student also hasn’t been identified.
No one else was injured.
Where did the weapon come from?
Authorities said Wednesday that the gun used in the shooting, a .357-caliber revolver, was brought from home and belonged to the student’s grandfather.
Where does the investigation stand now?
As of April 1, authorities have yet to identify a motive in the shooting.
But Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds said information gathered from Hill Country College Prep staff suggested the student might have been experiencing academic challenges and failing classes.
Investigators have spoken to relatives of the student, who officials say have cooperated with the investigation. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at the student’s home, where several electronic devices were seized to undergo forensic examination.
“It’s a lot to absorb and take in, but we want to make sure what we’re collecting evidentiary-wise, we owe it to the victim to make sure we’re thorough,” Reynolds told KENS 5 two days after the incident.
How did the district respond?
In the hours after the shooting, Julie Wiley, the principal at Hill Country College Prep, shared details of the incident in a social media message and said “our hearts are with everyone impacted.”
She went on to say the district would offer counselors for students and families the following day and that students would have to return at a designated later time to retrieve any vehicles or personal belongings still at the school.
Comal ISD officials later said the school would remain closed for the rest of the week. Superintendent John E. Campbell in a video message suggested that community members wear blue in support of the school.
“To our students, what you are feeling right now is real. And you do not have to carry these feelings alone,” Campbell said. “Your counselors and teachers are there to support you and we have added additional services for you.”