HEB shooting leaves parents at nearby schools concerned about lack of communication from police

LEON VALLEY, Texas – Tuesday’s shooting at the HEB at Loop 410 and Bandera sent panic through the roof for many, but employees at a neighboring school had no idea an armed suspect was nearby.

“When I saw them approach the car, I was overcome with emotion about whether my children were safe,” said the mother of a child attending the School of Science and Technology, who asked not to be named.

The mother we spoke to has children who attend the School of Science and Technology. She told us that when she picked up her children from school, she noticed that the staff was unaware of the police presence in the area.

“They had no idea, they weren’t aware of what had happened until I told them,” the mother said, adding: “It was very disturbing, at that point I just wanted to be an advocate for other parents because of what I had witnessed.”

The mother says she was working out at the LA Fitness next to HEB when the altercation occurred and saw the suspect walking toward her children’s school before he was arrested.

“We were not notified about the incident that occurred behind our campus,” said Anna Ruiz, communications coordinator for the School of Science and Technology.

Anna Ruiz claims Leon Valley police never called them to let them know what was happening.

“Depending on the circumstances, we could implement either a hard or soft lockdown,” Ruiz said.

Leon Valley Police Chief David Gonzalez declined to be interviewed. But he said part of the problem is that Pat M Neff Middle School has a police department through NISD, where students can listen to what happens on police radios.

The Faculty of Science and Technology does not have the same equipment.

“I was let down,” the mother said. “I trust the police, our officers, to prioritize the safety of the children and the safety of the community, and I feel like that wasn’t their priority.”

Gonzalez told us no one was injured and the suspect is in custody, which he considers a victory.

He added that he was in contact with representatives of charter schools, but when asked about further plans, he said he did not want to disclose them publicly.

“Our team from headquarters will meet with the Leon Valley Police Department to go over communication protocols and make sure we are included and they have the proper contact information,” Ruiz said.

KSAT also reviewed Neff Middle School.

An NISD official said they did not impose a lockdown. However, they said police officers were dispatched to the scene as soon as they discovered what was happening. The suspect was already in custody when they arrived, the official said.

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