An 18- yr- ancient student was killed in a firing Wednesday afternoon on the campus of Bowie High School in Arlington, and the suspected shooter — a 17- year- ancient student — was arrested, police said.
Bowie High School was put on lockdown and kids were confined there for more than two hours as officials looked into the firing and secured the college.
The victim, who police said was shot five or six days, was transported to a clinic, where he died. He may be identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Authorities said the suspect’s title will be released after he’s booked into the prison. He is anticipated to experience a murder charge.
Although the cause behind the shooting is still being investigated, police believe the sufferer and assume knew each other. Near the class, the believe was detained.
The , prey was shot , near a convenient school building.
At a news conference on Wednesday night, police chief Al Jones stated,” Our souls are with the overall Bowie High School community now. ” We, as a society, cannot handle this kind of crime. Never in our neighborhoods, neither do we have our institutions. Violence is never the right course of action. To make sure our schools are safe have spaces for students to learn, we may work closely with our Arlington ISD partners.
Immediately before 3 p.m., the Arlington Independent School District announced that kids would not be dismissed on time and that the school, located at 2101 Highbank Drive, was locked down.
The school district’s e-mailed affirmation stated that” Bowie High School is on lockdown as a result of an on-campus shooting outside of the school building.” ” Arlington Police Department is responding. When feasible, we intend to bring students and their families back together.
Kids were told to go to 1001 E. Division St. at the AISD Athletics and Aquatics Center to return with their children, authorities said. The college campus was requested by the consumer.
Bowie High School students and families will be transported to the Arlington ISD sports centre at 1001 E. Division, 76011, according to a statement released at 4:30 p.m. by school authorities.
Parents waiting at the reconciliation webpage were informed around 4:30 p.m. that the event does take place an hours before students arrived. Around 5 p.m., some cars could be seen leaving the school.
Please take into account that we have very strict safety standards that we must adhere to, so it will take some time to release students or workers and transport them to the reconciliation center, according to police.
Parents and guardians were instructed to arrive at the natatorium, which is next to the Athletics Center. Parents were instructed to deliver identification and insert the Athletics Center from the Division Street entry. Overflow driving for reconciliation was made accessible at Lot 11 at AT&, T Stadium.
One family, Erica Sims, whose child is a freshman, started trying to get to her child as soon as she heard about the killing, she said as she waited at the reconciliation center.
” I panicked of course. I’ve been trying to find my child and I ca n’t find my child”, she said.
Sims and her family reside close to the sports centre, and she claims to have searched for her daughter before being told to leave. She initially could n’t locate a parking space, but she eventually managed to get inside.
Sims also has a child, Bowie High top, who left school early for the day.
When Sims second heard what happened,” My soul dropped”, she said. ” I did n’t want it to be my child. I do n’t want it to be anybody’s child”.
Sims texted her child some days, asking,” Baby, are you there? Are you there? Were you shot”?
Sims said she does n’t know how to move on from this. She has instructed her children to keep their apps off, have Headphones in their ears, and stay in touch if something similar actually occurs.
” We never had to know this coming off”, she said. ” We never had to learn how to house in a spot.”
A Bowie High top who was let go for the day claimed to have previously had courses with the sufferer. After a battle or disagreement between two individuals, students have been informed that the shooting occurred.
The top told the Star-Telegram,” It was very disturbing knowing that it happened at my college because I did always have that dread knowing that it happened at different Arlington schools.” She also lives in the area and was at home when she claimed to have heard the” conflict” of officers and ambulances arriving at her school.
In the past three decades, there have been three shootings at Arlington Elementary School.
When a student opened fire outside Lamar High School before the start of the day’s groups, 16-year-old Ja’Shawn Poirier was killed in March 2023.
In September, a Tarrant County judge in adolescent court handed down a maximum 40- year sentence to the 16- year- ancient shooter, who likewise wounded another student. The teen started serving his sentence in a juvenile facility before being able to move on to an adult prison.
Four people were killed in a shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington, which is a part of the Mansfield school district, in October 2021. The 19- year- old defendant in that case, Timothy Simpkins, was convicted at trial of attempted capital murder. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
David Barrera recently threw his granddaughter her quinceañera. He learned about the shooting on Wednesday when his daughter texted his wife.
” Where is Popo”? she asked.
He felt a lot of emotion while waiting in front of the athletics center for his granddaughter to arrive. Fear and relief from her suffering are replaced by frustration and anger and fear.
” I’m sad for the person who was shot”, he said. ” I’m not glad for any of this. I’m frustrated. I’m angry”.
His granddaughter kept him informed throughout the entire experience via text messages. She claimed that one day, she and other students were instructed to leave their belongings in the hallway and head to the library with their hands in the air.
That was a good sign, he said. Walking with their hands in the air made sure she was safe and that police were present.
She then informed him that she had been taken off a bus. When she was at the halfway point, she texted him once more.
Barrera claimed that he has reminded his daughter to breathe and to pray, a prayer that her grandmother taught her. When his wife called him about a shooting at their granddaughter’s school, he was in Garland. He said he got to Arlington in what felt like just 20 minutes, still wearing his work uniform.
Barrera said,” I’ve always made her a promise that I will always protect her.” ” If she’s ever in danger, I’ll be there. I do n’t care if I have to fly. I’ll be there”.
Barrera described how he taught his granddaughter to ride a bike in a way that made him feel a little choked up. Taught her how to fish. It was the relief coming, along with thoughts of “what if”?
She’s maintaining her composure, Barrera said, and he’s going to do his best to keep his, for her sake.
Barrera intended for his granddaughter to let her process her feelings before speaking with him. After a little while, he said they’ll sit down, talk about everything that happened and pray together.
When Amiah Barrera walked up to her grandfather, she clung to him. Both of them cried in their eyes.
” Do n’t let go”, she told him.
” Just breathe, your granddad’s here”, David Barrera said.
After they parted and Amiah Barrera, her father, mother and three little brothers started walking away, David Berrera said he’s glad it was n’t worse.
” I’m glad this was n’t another Uvalde”.
More Bowie High parents reacted on social media to news of Wednesday’s shooting.
” I’m just ready to hold my daughter”, one woman posted.
” My daughter texting like crazy! I’m so anxious we are not allowed near the school I’m close by trying … ( to ) keep calm”, another woman said.
” My daughter textes me every single time she freaks out. Another person posted on social media about her just sending me a video of them performing CPR on a student outside of her class.
” Why not be honest and say there was a shooting. Parents need to be informed!!! I needed to find out from a text message from my child,” a woman wrote in response to a first post that police were at the school while an incident was being investigated and dismissal would n’t occur on time.
At 3:09 p.m., Arlington police reported in a post on X that officers were there to look into the shooting. As more information becomes available, the police said.
Bowie High typically ends its classes at 3 p.m. Arlington ISD first posted a notice about the lockdown at 2:56 p.m.
The shooting was reported about 2: 50 p. m., according to a police call log.
Classes at Bowie High School have been canceled by Arlington ISD for Thursday. The district stated that when students return to class, they will have the full support of our counseling team for as long as it is necessary.
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