{"id":1008018,"date":"2026-08-18T05:39:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T05:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1008018\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T05:39:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T05:39:12","slug":"school-threat-or-hoax-san-antonio-fbi-agent-explains-how-investigators-respond-behind-the-scenes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1008018\/","title":{"rendered":"School threat or hoax? San Antonio FBI agent explains how investigators respond behind the scenes"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 When a school threat is reported, the public may see police cars, a lockdown or other visible response. But much of the investigation happens behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

Bennett Forrest, a supervisory special agent with the FBI\u2019s San Antonio field office, said investigators do not initially distinguish between a credible threat and one that may ultimately turn out to be a hoax.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s a hoax or it\u2019s real, we\u2019re going to have the same amount of seriousness to attack that problem set and make sure that nothing happens,\u201d Forrest told KSAT in an interview Monday.<\/p>\n

How investigations work<\/p>\n

Forrest said tips can come in a variety of ways, including phone calls, emails, written communications and social media posts. Once investigators receive information about a potential threat, they work to determine who made it, whether it\u2019s credible, and what action may be necessary.<\/p>\n

That process can involve internal FBI databases, open-source checks and other analytical research. Investigators may also look at a person\u2019s history and patterns of behavior while working with other law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n

Forrest said the goal is to mitigate the threat and determine what action is necessary \u2014 whether that means talking with a juvenile or adult or pursuing a case through the judicial system.<\/p>\n

The FBI said its National Threat Operations Center also receives thousands of tips involving threats of violence against schools each year, including threats posted on social media. <\/p>\n

A network of partners<\/p>\n

The response does not fall solely on the FBI. <\/p>\n

Forrest described a network of city, county, state and federal law enforcement partners working together to investigate and mitigate threats. That includes the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff\u2019s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, among other agencies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have built out teams of people between task force officers, which are supplied by different agencies,\u201d Forrest said.<\/p>\n

He said San Antonio-area law enforcement agencies have formed ad hoc working groups and task forces focused on threats and lessons learned from past school shootings. Those groups work together regularly, and schools communicate with law enforcement about response tactics and how agencies would respond if an incident occurred.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest improvements in recent years, Forrest said, has been communication among law enforcement partners. But he emphasized that not every threat investigated is shared with the public. Forrest said it\u2019s intentional.<\/p>\n

He said publicly discussing every threat could create unnecessary alarm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it would be alarming to the general public if they heard the amount, you know, of threats that are actually out there,\u201d Forrest said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to put that burden on the, you know, the general American public and the citizens of San Antonio.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cost of hoaxes<\/p>\n

Even when a threat turns out to be false, investigators cannot know that when the initial tip arrives. Forrest said a suspected hoax can require hundreds of personnel to stop other work and focus on determining whether there is an actual danger.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to think about all the analytical research that we do, all the people that are taken off the street to go try to mitigate this threat,\u201d Forrest said. \u201cAt the end of the day, you might have 100 people working on this.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said there is a financial cost associated with responding to hoax threats. <\/p>\n

The FBI said threatening violence against schools is not a joke, even when someone later claims they did not intend to follow through. The agency\u2019s public awareness campaign warns that threats made through social media, text messages or email can result in federal or state charges.<\/p>\n

Social media changing the landscape<\/p>\n

Forrest said social media has changed the way threats are communicated.<\/p>\n

The FBI and local fusion centers are seeing an increase in threats made through social media against schools, public gatherings and other locations.<\/p>\n

Because people can quickly post a message, send a direct message or otherwise communicate online, Forrest said law enforcement must take those communications seriously regardless of whether they initially appear credible.<\/p>\n

He also said the beginning of the school year can bring an increase in threats toward schools and public gatherings.<\/p>\n

Those threats can have different motivations, he said, ranging from a student wanting to avoid returning to school to bullying or other problems \u2014 and, in some cases, a genuine intent to commit violence.<\/p>\n

What parents can do<\/p>\n

Forrest said parents have an important role in preventing violence and encouraged them to report information they believe could indicate a potential threat.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you hear of anything, any kind of violence, you know, please try to say something and try to get ahead of it,\u201d Forrest said.<\/p>\n

He also urged gun owners to make sure firearms are not readily accessible to children. Forrest, who is a parent himself, said children are still children even when they have been taught about firearm safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to just make sure that you do everything you can to keep guns out of their hands,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Forrest said investigators can pursue state or federal charges depending on the circumstances of a threat. <\/p>\n

Threats sent through social media, text messages or email can constitute federal threatening interstate communications, while state and local charges may also apply.<\/p>\n

Forrest said investigators\u2019 ultimate goal is to identify the person responsible, determine the threat\u2019s credibility, and take whatever lawful action is necessary to protect the public.<\/p>\n

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