Shooting Threats Made Against South Austin Church, Area School

AUSTIN, TX — Less than a week after Texas' worst mass shooting in the town of Sutherland Springs, two people were accused of making separate threats of similar violence — one at a high school and another at a South Austin church.

In the latter incident, a woman showed up at a house of worship with a shotgun, according to reports. In the other incident, a Manor High School student allegedly threatened a Columbine-style attack, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

The pair of incident come in the wake of last Sunday's attack on a church by a gunman who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The rampage in the South Texas town of Sutherland Springs left 26 people dead and another 20 injured.

An assistant principal at Manor High School reported a threat to the school's safety, leading police to find a student's Snapchat video for which he dubbed himself "School Shooter," the newspaper reported. Captioned "Loads glock, oh I'll make you all red," the video showed a student standing behind a grove of bushes with a pep rally in the background, the newspaper reported.

The student was removed from his class, and police found several shooting-related photos and videos on his phone, according to the report. One photo pictured the student in a tactical vest with his hand positioned as if holding a handgun with the caption "You had this coming Manor," the newspaper reported. Another photo showed the student at a library with the caption "It's about to happen. Hopefully I'm first," accented with a smiley face icon, according to the report.

Another video shows the student pointing at a map with a knife to indicate where the attack would occur, the Statesman reported. Police later found that map in his room with markings indicating envisioned shooting positions, location of explosives he imagined using in the attack and even a spot for the attack vehicle, according to the report.

The student now faces a felony charge of exhibition of a firearm with bond set at $50,000, according to an affidavit. The 17-year-old also was ordered to stay at least 200 feet away from the high school. Manor High School is located at 12700 Gregg Manor Rd. in Manor, Texas, located less than 15 miles northeast of Austin.

In the South Austin incident, a woman entered a learning center adjacent to the Bannockburn Baptist Church at 7100 Brodie Lane with a weapon in tow, the newspaper reported. The woman later identified as 27-year-old Lindsay Holeman entered the church with a child and told a man who unwittingly had let her into the building: "There a gun on my car. I have shells. Look, I will give you the shells. I have one for each of you," according to the affidavit referenced by the newspaper.

The woman later told police she was was conveying that she meant to offer protection by bringing her pink Remington 870 pump-action shotgun, according to the report. Still, she was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with bond set at $25,000. She also was ordered to stay at least 200 feet away from the church.

Fears of copycat killings are heightened after incidents of mass shootings as the one that occurred in Sutherland Springs. A police spokesman urged resident to be extra vigilant in the wake of the South Texas mass shooting and immediately report anything that seems suspicious: "Nothing is ever too small to make a call on," the spokesman told the newspaper.

In the wake of Sutherland Springs, Round Rock police on Friday staged an active shooter training session designed for members of the faith community there.

Related stories:

Round Rock Police To Stage Church Active Shooter Training

Sutherland Springs Church Members To Hold Private Prayer Service

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

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