EPISD Response To Different Responses To EPHS and AHS Incidents

Thursday was a tough day for two high schools in the El Paso Independent School District. Around 9:30 word started hitting social media via the El Paso Police Department, EPISD, and students that there was an active shooter incident at El Paso High School. With the aftermath of the mass shooting at Walmart in August still fresh in everyone's mind, the news of the possible school shooting put the whole city on edge.

Later in the afternoon after the El Paso High School incident had resolved and the school had been taken off lockdown, social media exploded again with the news of a stabbing at Austin High School. EPISD officials and the El Paso Police Department tweeted about that incident to keep the public up on what was happening, but Austin High School was never put on lockdown. In the El Paso High School incident, the school was placed on lockdown and the surrounding elementary and middle schools were also locked down.

During the morning show, I contacted EPISD Director of Community Engagement Gustavo Reveles and asked why the district had different responses to the two incidents. The answers he gave did not explain why Austin High School was not locked down when a stabbing victim was in their front office or how they knew that there was no danger from the person who stabbed the victim.

I am not a school district official nor am I a police officer but I would think that if there was a victim of a violent crime bleeding in my front office that we would lockdown the building. We reached out to Melissa Martinez, EPISD's Chief Communications Officer, but she did not respond to my text.

Here at the text conversations I had with Reveles and the message I sent to Martinez:

1. Gustavo Reveles conversation:

2. Melissa Martinez interview request: