A shooting on Tuesday at Wilmer-Hutchins High School that injured four students has reignited concerns about school safety after an unidentified student let the alleged gunman, 17-year-old Tracy Haynes Jr., into the building through an unsecured door.
The incident, which occurred shortly after 1 p.m. on April 15, left the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) grappling with questions about security protocols and student compliance.
According to an arrest affidavit, surveillance footage showed Haynes entering the school at 1:03 p.m. after another student opened a locked side door. Haynes then fired indiscriminately at students in a hallway, striking four males aged 15 to 18.
One student suffered serious injuries, while the others’ injuries were non-life-threatening. A fifth student was hospitalized for anxiety-related symptoms.
Haynes, charged with aggravated assault mass shooting, turned himself in later that evening and is being held on a $600,000 bond.
The breach has drawn comparisons to the 2022 Uvalde shooting, where an unsecured door allowed a gunman to enter Robb Elementary. Since the Uvalde incident, Texas has mandated annual intruder detection audits, with only 3% of 8,000 audited campuses reporting unauthorized access last year.
However, the Wilmer-Hutchins incident underscores that even locked doors rely on student vigilance. DISD Assistant Chief of Police Christina Smith emphasized that the gun did not enter during regular intake, suggesting no failure in staff protocols or metal detectors.
Parents and students expressed frustration, noting this was the second shooting at the school in a year. Last April, a student shot and injured another student, despite metal detectors and bag-check policies that were in place at the time.
“It’s not really a safe school,” said senior Sevynn Jones. “We don’t have good security.”
Classes at Wilmer-Hutchins were canceled for the remainder of the week, and the school district plans to provide mental health support on campus. Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said the district is working with law enforcement to address vulnerabilities.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who spoke with Elizalde following the shooting, said in a news release that he is seeking an additional $500 million for school safety during the current legislative session, building on the $3 billion already allocated.
“Our hearts go out to the victims of this senseless act of violence at Wilmer-Hutchins High School,” Abbott added.
The incident has sparked calls for stricter door monitoring and student education on security risks. Community leaders are urging immediate action to restore trust in campus safety.