A 17-year-old male was arraigned on a charge of making a terroristic threat toward the Mercedes Independent School District, Mercedes police said.

Jaime Alvarez was arrested overnight Thursday after he messaged a group chat involving several students and said he had a gun ready, according to Mercedes police Sgt. Frank Sanchez.

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Alvarez was upset over not being allowed to have backpacks on campus, Sanchez added.

A principal reached out to police, leading to Alvarez’s arrest.

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Police searched the suspect’s home and found no weapon, according to Sanchez.

Alvarez’s threat was one of two separate incidents that forced the district to end the school year early. On Thursday afternoon, Mercedes High School was evacuated after a bomb threat was made. 

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