(RepublicanView.org) – Police in Texas have arrested a 17-year-old for allegedly murdering a fellow high school student in Arlington. An 18-year-old died from six bullet wounds outside Bowie High School on the afternoon of April 24 before the alleged shooter fled the scene. Police caught up with him soon afterward and charged him with murder.
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said the shooter and victim knew each other, but he was unclear of the motive. Parents expressed shock at hearing the news, with one saying their child was “terrified” by the incident. School district officials closed the school and said counseling services would be available when students returned.
District Superintendent Matt Smith held a press conference on the evening of the incident and said he and his colleagues were focused on helping police with their investigations and would review the school’s response after parents complained they were not notified by officials but by their children.
Smith said school authorities wanted to establish facts before informing parents but are aware that information can travel very quickly with cell phones and social media.
The Arlington Police Department later identified the deceased student as Etavion Barnes and the alleged shooter as Julian Howard, who is held at Arlington County Jail. Chief Jones said in a statement, “We, as a community, cannot tolerate this kind of violence.”
Representatives of the Mothers of Murdered Angels organization arrived at the scene and urged students to speak out about gun violence. Among them was Melinda Hamilton, who founded the group after her daughter and grandson died from gunfire. She encouraged the students to report instances of bullying or bad behavior in schools in the hope of preventing escalation to extreme violence.
Copyright 2024, RepublicanView.org
