NISD receives threat targeting NEISD's Madison High School

SAPD chief: Emailed threat not credible

Northside Independent School District officials on Thursday afternoon received an emailed threat targeting Madison High School, which is in the Northeast Independent School District, both NISD and NEISD officials report.

According to NEISD Superintendent Dr. Brian Gottardy, the emailed threat was sent to NISD officials and made reference to a mass shooting at Madison High School at an unspecified time.

Gottardy said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told him the threat was from out-of-state and is not credible. Neither NEISD nor NISD officials provided a copy of the threatening email.

"The North East Police Department along with other local law enforcement agencies will continue to have an increased presence at Madison High School," Gottardy said in a letter sent home to parents. "In addition, security procedures such as the use of clear or mesh backpacks only will remain in effect for Madison students."

Thursday's emailed threat comes less than 24 hours after Madison High School officials instituted new security measures, including requiring students to carry clear or mesh backpacks on campus and keeping school doors locked until 7:45 a.m.

According to Northeast Independent School District spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor, continued rumors of threats prompted NEISD officials to make the backpack decision late Wednesday night.

If students showed up to school Thursday morning without mesh or clear backpacks, their backpacks were searched and confiscated, though any confiscated bags were returned to the students at the end of the school day.

On Monday, Madison High School went into lockdown when a student brought loaded guns to campus. That student was arrested and the guns confiscated.

The next day, the school went into a "soft lockdown" when a student from another school sent a threatening text to a Madison student. The student who sent that text was also arrested.