TUESDAY October 1, 2024 VOLUME 114 ISSUE 8 www.UniversityStar.com
SMPD, FBI investigate false shooter threat at San Marcos High School
PHOTO BY MARISA NUÑEZ
Students reunite with their parents after being released, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, at San Marcos High School. Some parents were outside the school since the initial call occurred at 3:32 p.m.
By Blake Leschber Managing Editor The San Marcos Police Department (SMPD), in collaboration with the FBI, is investigating the false
active shooter threat in San Marcos High School (SMHS) on Tuesday, Sept. 24. At a Sept. 25 SMPD press conference, San Marcos Communications played a recording of the 911 phone
call reporting an armed individual at SMHS. In the call, two gunshots went off. After the first gunshot, the caller did not continue communication with the dispatcher. “I was walking in the hallway to the
bathroom and I saw a guy walking and he had a gun in his hand and I ran away and he was yelling,” the caller said on the 911 call recording. “…He told me to stop running and aimed a gun at me.”
SEE CITY PAGE 3
Annual Security & Fire Safety Report shows increase in Violence Against Women Act offense reports By Lucciana Choueiry News Editor Texas State released its 2024 Annual Security & Fire Safety Report that outlines reported crimes for the past three calendar years that occurred on and off the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses on
Thursday, Sept. 26. The reported crimes in the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report are split into four categories: primary crimes, arrests and referrals, hate crimes and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) offenses. Texas State reported 29 rapes in 2023, all on campus and of which 28 were specifically in resi-
County polling locations found inaccessible for disabled voters By Ryan Claycamp Senior News Reporter Hays County reached a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) that will require the county to increase accessibility for disabled voters. The DOJ investigated 14 Hays County polling locations used in 2023 and determined the locations violated Section II of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against disabled individuals by state and local governments. The settlement will require the county to address physical issues at all polling locations and give elections staff more ADA training. “The right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy and must not be diminished or restricted,” U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said in the DOJ’s Sept. 23 press release. “People with disabilities are entitled to equal opportunity and full inclusion at the ballot box. Under this agreement, eligible voters with disabilities in Hays County will be able to exercise their fundamental right to vote and participate in our democracy.” Issues found at the locations included ramps that were too steep, missing handrails, lack of van accessible parking, gaps and level changes on exterior walkways, along with other issues. The settlement requires the county to work with an accessibility expert to evaluate both current and potential to ensure ADA compliance. According to the DOJ release, this means ensuring increased accessibility at all polling locations. According to a Hays County statement emailed to The Star, improving voter access will include training, evaluating polling locations and focusing on curbside voting. “Hays County goes to great lengths to ensure that its polling places are accessible to voters with disabilities. Hays County, like other Texas counties, is proud to partner with the Department of Justice to ensure that the County’s polling places are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” the county wrote in its statement. Both the Hays County Elections Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas did not respond to a request for when the changes would be made.
dential facilities on campus. This is a nearly 28% decrease from 40 rapes in 2022, of which 38 were on campus. The university also reported 14 fondling cases in 2023 and 23 in 2022 – all on campus.
SEE CRIME PAGE 3
Breaking down Texas State’s loss against Sam Houston State By Jacob De Luna Sports Reporter Holding a 22-0 lead entering the second quarter and then a 32-21 lead at halftime, Texas State lost to Sam Houston State 39-40 in the H-Town Showdown after Christian Pavon drilled a 24-yard field goal with six seconds remaining Saturday at NRG Stadium. The Bobcats have now lost back-toback games in which they were leading by multiple possessions. They led 21-7 against Arizona State in week three and lost 31-28. Additionally, Texas State nearly blew a lead in week one against Lamar, pulling out a 34-27 win after leading 18-0.
PHOTO BY MANDALYN LEWALLEN
Texas State junior running back Ismail Mahdi (21) gets tackled by Sam Houston States defense during the H-Town Showdown game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, NRG Stadium.
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 8
Alumnus and Broadway veteran acts alongside students in play By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Editor
I figure everything out there I can learn. It’s my responsibility as an artist to pass it forward to the next generation.” Lee met the cast and creative team on the second week of rehearsals and said working with them was a learning process for everyone involved. Ronisha Reneus, acting junior and Mrs. Gibbs in “Our Town,” learned Lee would be the Stage Manager during callbacks along with the rest of the cast. She said it was inspiring watching Lee’s professionalism and his insight into each character. “[Lee’s] professional, but he also is a person, and he loves to talk to the cast and connect with all of us,” Reneus said. “It’s fun to see his creative mind, how he thinks about each character and how he wants to connect to everybody, since some of the main points of the show is about connection and community.”
Set on a theatrical stage with a lack of traditional set pieces, “Our Town” brings its audience into a story told by Eugene Lee, program faculty, as Texas State students portray the scene around him. Lee has over 50 years of experience in acting, appearing on and off Broadway three times and working in multiple regional theaters in the U.S. He said he acts in or directs a play at Texas State every other year, but his last acting role was his return to “A Soldier’s Play” last year with the Center Theatre Group at Ahmanson Theatre. With “Our Town,” Lee could enjoy not only learning the processes of a new play but also teaching by example as an actor instead of a director. “I’m told that just watching me work in rehearsal is a lesson,” Lee said. “I teach at heart. SEE THEATER PAGE 6