Stephanie Ruvalcaba Hill Country College Preparatory High School teacher shot by Bulverde student who then kills self during class. Teacher condition unknown. No known motive.
A Hill Country College Preparatory High School teacher shot by one of her students during Monday morning class in Bulverde, Texas has been identified as a social studies teacher.
Stephanie Ruvalcaba was shot by a 15-year-old boy just on just on 8.34am, who then turned the weapon on himself killing himself.
While officials had yet to identify Ruvalcaba as the victim, social media identified the social studies teacher as the targeted educator.
Bulverde school placed into lockdown
A regard of the school staff site: hccphs with Comal ISD placed Ruvalcaba as teaching social studies at the school.
Upon being shot, the educator was taken to a San Antonio hospital where her condition remained unknown.
The high school went into lockdown moments after an alarm sounding after the shooting, Principal Julie Wiley said in a message to parents according to The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
Responding officers with the Comal County Sheriff’s Office found the boy deceased and transported the teacher to hospital.
Hill Country Comal ISD teacher started in May 2024
Sheriff Mark Reynolds emphasized that the situation was quickly contained and did not evolve into an active shooter scenario.
‘School was placed on lockdown right away to protect everyone on the campus,’ Reynolds told press. ‘This was a shooting, but not an active shooter situation. The threat was contained rapidly.’
The campus was immediately secured, and students were evacuated in a controlled manner. They were transported to Bulverde Middle School, where they were reunited with their families.
A regard of Stephanie Ruvalcaba’s Linkedin account showed the educator teaching social studies at the Bulverde school since August of 2024 after starting as a substitute teacher at the school in May of 2024.
Unanswered questions
Students described a chaotic scene as the incident unfolded. One student reported hearing loud bangs and screams coming from a second-floor classroom, while another recalled hearing multiple gunshots before a teacher quickly ushered students into a safe location.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, Bulverde Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Rangers. Officials credited coordinated inter-agency training for the swift and organized response.
‘This kind of response doesn’t happen by accident,’ Reynolds said. ‘It’s the result of training, coordination, and a shared commitment to protecting this community.’
Hill Country College Preparatory High School, a STEAM-focused campus within the Comal Independent School District serves approximately 260 students in grades 9 through 12.
Principal Julie Wiley announced that classes would be canceled Tuesday, with counseling services made available to students, staff, and families affected by the shooting.
‘Our hearts are with everyone impacted, especially the injured teacher, her family, and our school community,’ Wiley said. ‘We know this has been a difficult day.’
The Comal County Sheriff’s Office, along with state and local agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Officials have yet to say what led up to the shooting and whether there had been previous incidents involving the boy. Also not immediately clear is how the boy was able to access the firearm and bring it to school.
