'He had a pistol and a gun': Man seen with firearms near schools frightens Austin parents

Parents are raising alarm about a man with a long gun reportedly seen walking around several schools in North Austin this week during class drop-off and dismissal periods.

Though people in Texas are legally allowed to carry guns in public — such as sidewalks near schools — the man seen with a firearm by campuses has sparked anxiety in parents who are already on edge after police say a gunman on Tuesday shot an Austin school district police officer and killed six people in a series of shootings in Austin and San Antonio.

Holly Milch, whose daughter attends St. Francis School, said she was startled to see a man with firearms walking on a sidewalk near the private school on Huntland Drive.

“He had a pistol and a gun,” Milch said. “He had the nerve to cross over Huntland using the school crosswalk to be closer to the school.”

The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act prohibits anyone from carrying a firearm in schools or within 1,000 feet of a campus, though there are exceptions, such as for police or anyone authorized to have a gun in the facility. Similarly to federal law, state rules also prohibit people from having guns in schools. A 2021 Texas law, however, allows people to openly carry a firearm without a license in public spaces.

Other parents have also reported seeing a man carrying at least one firearm while walking near Austin school district campuses. The district confirmed to the American-Statesman that officials are aware of the situation.

The Austin Police Department also responded to multiple calls in the area and made contact with the person involved, spokeswoman Anna Sabana said.

"In light of recent events, we encourage parents, school administration, and community members to remain vigilant," Sabana said. "If you see something suspicious, say something or call 911."

Milch said she first saw the man last week carrying firearms near her daughter's private school and Webb Middle School, an Austin district school, but she has continued seeing him around campuses this week. And though Milch said she and other parents have called St. Francis and police to complain about the man, they were told he’s allowed to carry firearms if he’s on a public sidewalk.

Multiple Austin district, charter and private schools are within walking distance of each other in this area of town.

“I was pretty much a wreck the entire day,” Milch said. St. Francis declined to comment on the incidents.

Eva Noyola, who has children attending Lamar Middle School and Reilly Elementary School, is also concerned about the man carrying a gun near schools.

She said though the district is aware of the person and is taking security precautions, such as placing a campus in a secure state as needed, his presence near schools still worries her.

“My fear is that this one incident breeds complacency, and if we see anybody with a weapon, we will think, ‘It’s another one of those,’” Noyola said.

Jennifer Szimanski, public affairs director for the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, said though Texas law allows people to openly carry a gun in public spaces, anyone who is concerned by that act should report it to authorities.

“Just because it is legal on a sidewalk next to a school doesn't preclude anyone from calling in suspicious activity and getting law enforcement to check on suspicious activity or suspicious behavior,” Szimanski said.

Police can stop a person who is openly carrying a gun near a school to make sure they can legally have the weapon, she and other law enforcement experts said.

However, Greg Fremin, a Sam Houston State University criminal justice professor, said that if police detain someone and verify they're not violating any laws, there’s not much officers can do to stop someone from openly carrying a gun in public in Texas.

Fremin, who is a retired Houston police captain, said he understands why parents are alarmed by seeing someone carrying a gun near schools.

“He's looking for a confrontation with law enforcement,” Fremin said. “He's looking to file a lawsuit. Most people of rational mentality don't take time out of their day to go walk in front of a school with a long gun.”

District response

The Austin district on Dec. 1 placed Webb Middle School in a secure state, which means no one can enter or leave the campus, because of a man seen with a firearm walking nearby, according to a letter to parents from Principal Michael Coyle.

The secure state was called out of an “abundance of caution while police monitored a Second Amendment demonstration in the neighborhood,” the letter said.

District police also kept an eye on the man until he moved away from the school, officials said.

Though Texas law allows people to openly carry guns near schools, it's concerning, said state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, who has been communicating with the schools.

"Here we are in a state where it's perfectly legal to terrorize a couple schools by your mere presence, with your prominently displayed weaponry," Eckhardt said.

The senator doesn't think only having 1,000-foot gun-free buffer zones around schools is enough to protect students, considering the availability of long-range weapons, she said.

"We’re looking for what’s effective, and I don’t know you could effectively create a safe display radius," Eckhardt said.

Instead, she said, the state should create policies that promote responsible gun ownership and require people to have a license to carry a gun.

School district officials are encouraging anyone who sees suspicious behavior to report it to 512-414-1703.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas gun laws: People can legally open carry; Austin parents rattled