2 Texas teen girls arrested in ‘mass casualty’ plot on Houston high school

Two teen girls are in custody in Texas after allegedly plotting to commit a “mass casualty attack” at a Houston high school, authorities said.

While police did not recover any materials, they said the girls’ plans as outlined on social media were very detailed, lending them credibility. The plan was to attack Memorial High School in Harris County using pipe bombs and guns, police told local CBS affiliate KHOU.

The FBI was first on the case, alerting local authorities after receiving a tip on Tuesday, and both girls were located within 30 minutes after authorities learned of the threat, reported ABC News.

“FBI Houston received information yesterday that two underage teenagers from the Houston area were plotting a mass casualty attack at a local school,” the FBI’s branch in Houston said in a statement Wednesday.

One of the girls, a 16-year-old, was charged with making a terroristic threat, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday. The second teen, a 15-year-old student at Willis High School in Montgomery County, was already in custody on unrelated charges.

“Evidence suggests their intent was to carry out acts of violence at a school in Spring Branch ISD,” the sheriff’s office said, referring to the Spring Branch Integrated School District in Houston.

Additional security measures have been implemented at the school and throughout the district, the sheriff’s office said, urging the public to “remain vigilant” as the investigation is still in its very early stages.

“The safety and security of our schools and community remain our highest priority,” the sheriff’s office said. “We understand the concerns this situation may cause for students, parents, and faculty, and we are taking every necessary precaution.”

Memorial High School officials wrote to families and staff outlining the situation and confirming that both girls were in custody, withholding their identities because they’re minors, KHOU reported.

“We thank our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and for immediately elevating this situation to the SBISD Police,” said the letter, obtained by KHOU. “Together, we place the highest priority on maintaining the safety, security and wellbeing of our students and staff.”