BULVERDE, Texas – A 15-year-old student shot a teacher before turning the gun on himself Monday morning at a high school just north of San Antonio, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at Hill Country College Preparatory High School. The Comal County Sheriff’s Office reported that the student was pronounced dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The teacher, whose identity has not been released, was transported to a San Antonio hospital. Officials have not provided an update on the teacher’s condition.
The alert was issued at approximately 8:30 a.m., just minutes before the start of the school day. While the campus was immediately placed on lockdown, Sheriff Mark Reynolds characterized the incident as a “shooting” rather than an active shooter situation, noting that the threat was contained quickly.
“School was placed on lockdown right away to protect everyone on the campus,” Reynolds said. “The students were safely transported to Bulverde Middle School and reunited with their families.”
Witnesses described a scene of sudden chaos. One student reported hearing loud bangs and screaming originating from a second-floor room. Another student recalled hearing five shots before a teacher ushered students into a classroom for safety.
The sheriff noted a somber moment during the evacuation process, stating that the gunman’s family was already in line at the reunification center when they were approached by law enforcement.
The school canceled classes for Tuesday but counselors would still be made available for students and families, principal Julie Wiley said in a statement. She did not provide details about the teacher’s condition.
“Our hearts are with everyone impacted, especially that teacher, their family, and our school community,” Wiley said. “We know this has been a difficult day.”
Multiple agencies, including the Bulverde Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Rangers, responded to the campus. Reynolds credited the rapid response to ongoing inter-agency training.
“I’m very proud to say this kind of response doesn’t happen by accident,” Reynolds said. “It’s the result of training coordination and people who are committed to protecting this community.”
Hill Country College Preparatory High School is a small, STEAM-focused campus within the Comal Independent School District. The school opened in 2020 and serves approximately 260 students in grades nine through 12.
No other injuries were reported. Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the shooting.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, Bulverde Police Department, Texas DPS, and Texas Rangers, are investigating this case.
Still, several key questions remain unanswered, including the relationship between the student and the teacher and how the 15-year-old gained access to the firearm. Reynolds also confirmed that some students witnessed the shooting. Investigators have not determined a motive.
School shootings are far too common, but rarely are teachers specifically targeted.
However, statistics don’t always paint a clear picture of the danger because some databases only track total number of victims without distinguishing between students, teachers, and other staff members.
But two major sources the K-12 School Shooting Database and the Gun Violence Archive show five previous cases of teachers being shot nationwide in the last five years.
Last year a teacher at a high school up in Arlington was grazed by a bullet when a 17-year-old gunman shot at other students.
In 2024 a 15-year-old killed a teacher and a student at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
In 2023 a teacher was seriously wounded after being shot by a 6-year-old student in Newport News, Virginia
Then there were the two teachers, Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, who were among the 21 killed in the horrific Uvalde school shooting in 2022.
Those databases have catalogued a total of 18 school shooting incidents, not mass shootings, but incidents where weapons were fired, in the past two years in San Antonio and nearby communities.
“I’m very proud to say this kind of response doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of training coordination and people who are committed to protecting this community,” said Sheriff Reynolds. “We showed today what preparation and commitment look like, and we will continue to stand ready for this community every single day.”
Local leaders also addressed the community as the investigation continues.
“Moving forward as a community, we’ll have to have tough conversations in the near future, about what more can be done to help ensure that nothing like this happens again,” Comal County Judge Kristen Hoyt said.
Bulverde’s mayor, Helen Hays said the community should come together in the aftermath. “Nobody wants this to happen in any community that you live in and to all of our children who are in the schools, their parents in our community, this is something that we need to pray together about,” the mayor said.
The investigation remained ongoing, with Reynolds saying authorities are focusing on supporting those affected.
According to the most recent release from the Comal Independent School District, school has been canceled for March 31, and Counselors will be available to students and families from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Mamman Family Public Library.
“Our hearts are with everyone impacted, especially our teacher, their family, and our school community,” said Comal ISD. “We know this has been a difficult day. I want to personally thank our local law enforcement officers, amazing staff, and district administrators for their swift response, professionalism and care of our students.”
