A 29-year-old man is in custody after a report to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s iWatchTexas program led to his arrest for making internet threats against schools. The Federal Bureau of Investigation charged Stephen Patrick Furr, of Lubbock, on February 3, 2025.
In the early hours of February 3, the Texas Fusion Center (TXFC) received a complaint from a community member concerning potential school shooting threats via social media. The tweets progressed from speculation about a forthcoming assault to allegations of owning a gun and intending to carry out the shooting. TXFC soon identified the user as Furr, who was then detained and charged with interstate threatening communications, according to a news statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“This is exactly what the iWatchTexas program was designed to do: help Texans quickly alert law enforcement of mass attacks or targeted violence,” said DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin. “By reporting something suspicious, lives were saved.”
The iWatchTexas program enables Texans to report suspicious acts or behaviors connected to criminal, terrorist, or school safety threats. In September 2024, the program received a record 204 school safety-related notifications, the majority of which involved threats or planned attacks on school grounds. Reports can be reported using the mobile app, online at www.iwatchtx.org, or by phone at 1-844-643-2251. All reports are kept confidential, and entering contact information is optional for follow-up inquiries.
The TXFC is the state’s repository for homeland security information and incident reports, working with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies around the clock to offer real-time intelligence on suspicious activity and risks to public safety. The website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas contains additional information regarding this case.
