An 18-year-old scholar was shot and killed outdoors Bowie Excessive Faculty in Arlington Wednesday afternoon and the alleged shooter is in custody, police stated.
Arlington police officers had been on the scene round 3 p.m., towards the top of the varsity day, after studies of photographs fired outdoors the varsity. That is the place police say they discovered 18-year-old Etavion Barnes shot 5 or 6 instances and tried to carry out life-saving measures earlier than an ambulance arrived and rushed him to a close-by hospital. Barnes was later pronounced lifeless, in response to Arlington Police Chief Al Jones.
The 17-year-old alleged shooter tried to flee the campus however was caught and arrested, police stated.
On Thursday morning, police recognized the alleged shooter as Julian Howard. He was booked into the Arlington Metropolis Jail on one rely of homicide. Primarily based off of an preliminary investigation, police consider Howard and Barnes knew one another.
Jones referred to as on the group to lock up their firearms and report issues to forestall violence on campus.
“We can’t tolerate this type of violence in our group,” he advised reporters Wednesday evening. “We will not tolerate this violence in our neighborhoods and we actually will not tolerate it in our colleges.”
All lessons on the faculty had been canceled Thursday and the schedule for Friday will likely be decided later. The district will present counseling companies once they resume, Arlington ISD Superintendent Matt Smith stated.
“Actually, I am confused tonight by the tragedy at Bowie Excessive Faculty this afternoon,” Smith stated. “Colleges are speculated to be a spot of studying and development, and this afternoon that was interrupted by mindless violence.”
Police started releasing the scholars and workers who had been locked down in school rooms inside the varsity round 5:40 p.m. All had been bussed to a reunification website for college kids and households on the Arlington ISD Athletics Heart on 1001 E. Division Avenue, police stated.
Tierra Lengthy, a mother or father of a ninth grader at Bowie, stated she “misplaced it” when she heard concerning the taking pictures as a result of her son wasn’t answering his cellphone. Lengthy was later capable of get in touch with him, however she stated she in all probability wouldn’t ship him again to Bowie Excessive Faculty subsequent 12 months.
“It is actually unhappy that the children cannot even go to high school and get an training anymore with out one thing like this taking place,” she stated.
Lengthy was ready outdoors the Arlington ISD Athletics Heart Wednesday afternoon alongside others ready for college kids to be launched from the varsity.
Sergio Acosta’s daughter is a senior at Bowie. He heard concerning the taking pictures from his spouse.
Ready for her outdoors the designated reunification middle, Acosta stated he was burdened as a result of he knew the state of affairs wouldn’t assist together with his daughter’s nervousness issues.
“I used to be unhappy and mad on the similar time as a result of it should not be taking place,” Acosta stated about getting the decision concerning the taking pictures. “It should not be taking place. Particularly, you already know, in school.”
For mother or father Judith Mings, the taking pictures was a tragic reminder of how widespread faculty shootings have turn into. Requested how she would discuss to her Eleventh-grade son concerning the taking pictures, she stated it is a dialog they’ve usually.
“When did it occur final, two weeks in the past in Dallas?” Mings stated, referring to an April 12 taking pictures at Wilmer-Hutchins Excessive Faculty by which a scholar was shot within the leg. “I imply, we speak about it on a regular basis. You’ll be able to solely pray that nothing occurs to your youngster.”
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