An 18-year-old student is dead and a 17-year-old student has been arrested after a shooting broke out at a Texas high school.
Cops responded to reports of the shooting at Arlington Bowie High School shortly before 3pm on Wednesday, April 24, and found a male student lying on the ground, unresponsive and shot five to six times.
Officers gave CPR to the victim on the ground outside the school, a video obtained by NBC 5 showed.
The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity was not immediately released.
Cops took the alleged gunman into custody without incident around 5.30pm. He will be booked into Arlington City Jail and charged with murder in connection with the crime, said police.
“Our hearts are with the entire Bowie High School community tonight,” stated Arlington Police Department Chief Al Jones.
“We, as a community, cannot tolerate this kind of violence. Not in our neighborhoods and not in our schools. Violence is never the right answer.
“We will continue to work in lockstep with our partners at Arlington ISD to ensure our schools are safe spaces where students can learn.”
The campus was placed on lockdown as reports of the shooting spread. Shortly after 3pm, Arlington Independent School District stated that the building was safe and that students would be dismissed on time.
A reunification spot at 1001 E Division Street was set up for students and their parents an hour later.
“It just feels like more of a dangerous place, I feel a bit more scared now,” a senior at the high school, Arely Cortes, told FOX 4.
Desiree Mondy, whose son is a junior at the school, said she felt “our kids are not safe” and that he is “afraid”.
“He knows what to do, like this is a common practice and that’s a problem,” Mondy told NBC 5.
“His text was, ‘Oh mom, we’re on lockdown,’ because this is what they do all the time. Until a friend sent him a text message confirming there were shots fired and there were screams that’s when I could tell he was terrified.”
Classes have been canceled at the high school for Thursday, April 25.