Houston Terrorism Probe Surprise

Houston terrorism probe extends to a Texas college: FBI agents descend on a dorm

While federal agents and a terrorism task force searched for dangerous chemicals at three homes in the Houston area and two in Michigan on Friday, FBI investigators made a surprise appearance at Austin College during the Sherman school's family weekend.

A source with ties to the college tells CultureMap that the son of Cecily Horton and Andrew Schneck — the couple who owns the five raided homes — is a student at the school. College spokesperson Lynn Womble confirmed that agents did arrive on campus, but she said she could not say who was at the center of the investigation.

"There was no raid or agents in biohazard suits," she told CultureMap when asked if the searches were similar to those in Houston and Michigan. "We are fully cooperating with the FBI."

"There are absolutely no devices anywhere on campus that would be destructive or harmful."

Nevertheless, enough unfounded rumors are circulating that Austin College vice president of student affairs Tim Millerick felt compelled to take to Facebook:

“Early this morning the FBI informed us that a current student may have information that will help them in a broader investigation. Please know that the campus is safe, and the FBI presence on campus was simply part of a routine investigation.

"Contrary to rumors that have been circulating, there are absolutely no devices anywhere on campus that would be destructive or harmful."

Student Raz Fyfe told KXII Ch. 12 that he was questioned by agents at his dorm Baker Hall Friday, but he wouldn't elaborate. "At the end of my interview I was assured that there's nothing, you know, not a big deal and that I could go back to my room and that I'd be fine," he said. "So it was certainly safe the whole time."

Later that day, he posted on Facebook that he lives next to the room search by the FBI, calling the college's official statement "bullshit" while adding "that the truth is almost equally mundane."

Few additional details have surfaced since the Friday raids at homes owned by the prominent Houston art consultant Horton and her husband, a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M's College of Architecture. Sources close to the FBI confirm that the couple themselves are not under investigation.

In the meantime, the FBI has ordered the search warrants sealed from the public until an arrest is made or the case is closed. FBI spokesperson Shauna Dunlop told CultureMap on Tuesday she is unable to confirm if the home raids were linked to the Austin College investigation.

Located an hour north of Dallas, Austin College appears to be involved in a massive FBI search potentially dangerous chemicals.

Austin College Facebook

Located an hour north of Dallas, Austin College appears to be involved in a massive FBI search potentially dangerous chemicals.

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”