Alamo Heights High School adds armed police officer to campus following Florida shooting
Kelsey Bradshaw, mySanAntonio.com
Feb. 19, 2018 Updated: Feb. 19, 2018 4:42 p.m.
FILE - Students from Alamo Heights High School walk across Broadway after the final bell rang on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2015. The school is adding an armed police officer for the remainder of the school year following the massacre of 17 people, including students and teachers, at a Florida high school.
BOB OWEN, Staff / San Antonio Express-NewsShow MoreShow Less
Photos from the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla. school shooting.
APShow MoreShow Less
A video monitor shows school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz, center, making an appearance before Judge Kim Theresa Mollica in Broward County Court, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz is accused of opening fire Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., killing more than a dozen people and injuring several.
Susan Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, PoolShow MoreShow Less
This video screen grab image shows shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz on February 15, 2018 at Broward County Jail in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The heavily armed teenager who gunned down students and adults at a Florida high school was charged Thursday with 17 counts of premeditated murder, court documents showed. Nikolas Cruz, 19, killed fifteen people in a hail of gunfire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Two others died of their wounds later in hospital, the sheriff's office said.
MIGUEL GUTTIEREZ/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
This booking photo obtained February 15, 2018 courtesy of the Broward County Sheriff's Office shows shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz. Authorities in Florida could offer no explanation Wednesday night as to why a former student armed with an AR-15 rifle opened fire at a high school earlier that day, killing at least 17 people. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel identified the gunman as Nikolas Cruz, 19, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland who had been expelled for "disciplinary reasons," but was currently enrolled in Broward County Public Schools.Cruz, whose fellow students described him as "troubled," was arrested without incident in the nearby town of Coral Springs after the Valentine's Day rampage and taken to hospital with minor injuries, the sheriff said.
HANDOUT/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
Parents wait for news after a reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Joel Auerbach/APShow MoreShow Less
A young woman, who walked out from the direction of the high school, gets a hug following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla.
Amy Beth Bennett/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
People react at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018 following a school shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
MICHELE EVE SANDBERG/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
Students released from a lockdown embrace following following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via APShow MoreShow Less
Police control a road near the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed by a gunman yesterday, on February 15, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Police arrested the suspect after a short manhunt, and have identified him as 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz.
Mark Wilson/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
Law enforcement officers block off the entrance to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Parkland, Fla. Nikolas Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder on Thursday, the day after opening fire with a semi-automatic weapon at the school.
Wilfredo Lee/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
Students wait to be picked up, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. The shooting at a South Florida high school sent students rushing into the streets as SWAT team members swarmed in and locked down the building. Police were warning that the shooter was still at large even as ambulances converged on the scene and emergency workers appeared to be treating those possibly wounded. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Wilfredo Lee/APShow MoreShow Less
A bouquet of flowers placed by police tape near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the day after a shooting there, in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 15, 2018. Authorities on Thursday charged 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz ?– who is suspected of gunning down students and adults at the school ?– with 17 counts of premeditated murder.
SAUL MARTINEZ/NYTShow MoreShow Less
20of96In this frame grab from video provided by WPLG-TV, law enforcement personnel arrest an unidentified man (in dark red), following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. A former student opened fire at the Florida high school Wednesday, killing more than a dozen people and sending scores of students fleeing into the streets. (WPLG-TV via AP)Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
22of96Police vehicles block the road to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, following a shooting that killed 17 people on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. A former student armed with an AR-15 rifle opened fire at a Florida high school, killing at least 17 people, officials said, in a harrowing shooting spree that saw terrified students hiding in closets and under desks as they texted for help. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel identified the gunman as Nikolas Cruz, 19, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland who had been expelled for "disciplinary reasons." / AFP PHOTO / Gaston De CardenasGASTON DE CARDENAS/AFP/Getty ImagesGASTON DE CARDENAS/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
23of96Parents meet at a hotel in Coral Springs, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, to pick up their children, following a shooting at nearby Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla. A former student opened fire at the Florida high school Wednesday, killing more than a dozen people and sending scores of students fleeing into the streets. (Jim Rassol/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)Jim Rassol/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
People waiting for word from students at Coral Springs Drive and the Sawgrass Expressway just south of the campus following following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Amy Beth Bennett/Sun Sentinel/TNSShow MoreShow Less
28of96Broward County Sheriff's office public information officer Keyla Concepcion addresses the media following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018. A former student armed with an AR-15 rifle opened fire at a Florida high school, killing at least 17 people, officials said, in a harrowing shooting spree that saw terrified students hiding in closets and under desks as they texted for help. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel identified the gunman as Nikolas Cruz, 19, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland who had been expelled for "disciplinary reasons." / AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty ImagesRHONA WISE/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
An angry father screams at police officers after the mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 14, 2018. At least 17 people were killed Wednesday at this school about an hour northwest of Miami, law enforcement officials said. A suspect, a former student, is in custody.
Students released from a lockdown are overcome with emotion following following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Medical personnel tend to a victim following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
John McCall/APShow MoreShow Less
A law enforcement officer rushes toward Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following a shooting at the school in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Parents confer with security following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami, February 14, 2018 . A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
A woman consoles another as parents wait for news regarding a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. A shooter opened fire at the Florida high school Wednesday, killing people, sending students running out into the streets and SWAT team members swarming in before authorities took the shooter into custody. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
People gather waiting for word from students at Coral Springs Drive and the Sawgrass Expressway just south of the campus following following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
People are brought out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after a shooting at the school that reportedly killed and injured multiple people on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Numerous law enforcement officials continue to investigate the scene.
Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
In this frame grab from video provided by WPLG-TV, emergency personnel wheel an injured person from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., following a shooting there on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (WPLG-TV via AP)
Police officers ride in the back of a pick up truck as they tend to a victim following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Students react following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018. A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
Students leave Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018 following a school shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
Young women, who walked out from the direction of the high school, are escorted by police following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla.
Security speak with people near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018 following a school shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
MICHELLE EVE SANDBERG/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
A law enforcement officer tells anxious family members to move back, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. A shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School sent students rushing into the streets as SWAT team members swarmed in and locked down the building. Police were warning that the shooter was still at large even as ambulances converged on the scene and emergency workers appeared to be treating those possibly wounded. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Broward County, Florida.
DigitalGlobe/ScapeWare3d/DigitalGlobe/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
The Broward County Sheriff's Offices confirms a suspect is in custody after a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla.
Broward County Sheriff's Office Show MoreShow Less
President Donald J. Trump tweeted "prayers and condolences" after a school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
President Donald J. TrumpShow MoreShow Less
In this frame grab from video provided by WPLG-TV, students from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., evacuate the school following a shooting, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (WPLG-TV via AP)
Anxious family members watch a rescue vehicle pass by, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. A shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School school sent students rushing into the streets as SWAT team members swarmed in and locked down the building. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Students are released from a lockdown following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
A student shows a law enforcement officer a photo or video from his phone, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. A shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School sent students rushing into the streets as SWAT team members swarmed in and locked down the building. Police were warning that the shooter was still at large even as ambulances converged on the scene and emergency workers appeared to be treating those possibly wounded. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
A parent talks on cellphone waiting for news after a reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Students run with their hands in the air following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Students released from a lockdown walk away following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Fire rescue vehicles converge at Stoneman Douglas High School following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
An armored police vehicle arrives at Stoneman Douglas High School following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Fire Rescue personnel work the scene at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after a shooting at the school that reportedly killed and injured multiple people on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Numerous law enforcement officials continue to investigate the scene.
Law enforcement personel work the scene at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after a shooting at the school that reportedly killed and injured multiple people on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Numerous law enforcement officials continue to investigate the scene.
A law enforcement officer directs traffic outside the school following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Law enforcement officers block off a street, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. The shooting at a South Florida high school sent students rushing into the streets as SWAT team members swarmed in and locked down the building. Police were warning that the shooter was still at large even as ambulances converged on the scene and emergency workers appeared to be treating those possibly wounded. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
People wait for loved ones as they are brought out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after a shooting at the school that reportedly killed and injured multiple people on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Numerous law enforcement officials continue to investigate the scene.
Police and fire rescue vehicles converge on Stoneman Douglas High School following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Teens, who walked out from the direction of the high school, are escorted by police following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in Parkland, Fla.
Waiting for word from students at Coral Springs Drive and the Sawgrass Expressway just south of the campus of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., after a shooting on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
Students are brought across Coral Springs Drive from the campus of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., after a shooting on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is seen after a shooting at the school that reportedly killed and injured multiple people on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Numerous law enforcement officials continue to investigate the scene.
EVA CLAIRE HAMBACH/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
Sheriff vehicles are seen at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018 following a school shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
Students react at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018 following a school shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Florida high school, an incident that officials said caused "numerous fatalities" and left terrified students huddled in their classrooms, texting friends and family for help. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said a suspect was in custody.
After 14 teenagers, a geography teacher, athletic director and assistant football coach were killed in a Florida high school, one local district is taking extra precautions.
An armed officer from the Alamo Heights Police Department will patrol Alamo Heights High School for the remainder of the school year, said Patti Pawlik-Perales, spokeswoman for the Alamo Heights Independent School District. She said the district previously contracted a part-time officer to guard the high school's exterior.
Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, were attacked Feb. 14 by a former classmate who was carrying an AR-15 rifle. The shooter was arrested.
Since the shooting, AHISD has received a "modest number" of comments from parents, Pawlik-Perales said, adding that the parents were relieved to know the district brought on a full-time officer.
"The officer will spend most of his/her time at the high school, but is also available for other campuses as needed," she said.
Latino media group buys one of S.A.'s first Spanish stations
RELATED: Pence talks about Florida shooting during stop in San Antonio
Parents of Alamo Heights High School students received an email Monday morning alerting them to the change.
"In light of the recent tragedy in Florida, we have been able, thanks to Central Office and our Board of Trustees, to secure a full time AH police officer to have a presence around campus for the remainder of the year," reads the email.
Pawlik-Perales said the Alamo Heights Independent School District has "many things" in place to ensure students' safety, including regular audits.
Other districts across the San Antonio-area already have their own, dedicated police departments.
South Side Independent School District, Southwest Independent School District, North East Independent School District and Northside Independent School District are among the districts with police departments.
Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @kbrad5
Kelsey Bradshaw
Reach Kelsey on
Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA. She was previously a reporting intern covering Texas politics and government from the Chronicle's Austin Bureau. She is a Texas State University graduate with degrees in journalism and business administration, and previously worked for the Austin American-Statesman, the San Antonio Express-News and the University Star.