A shooting on Wednesday at Bowie High School in Arlington has elicited many questions from concerned community members, and some are finally being answered.
New details have come regarding the on-campus shooting that resulted in one death, as covered by The Dallas Express.
The Arlington Police Department identified the shooter as 17-year-old shooter Julian Howard, who was arrested and booked into the Arlington City Jail on a murder charge. Howard allegedly shot 18-year-old Etavion Barnes five or six times around 3 p.m. outside one of the school’s buildings.
Responding to the sound of gunshots, school resource officers tried to administer first aid to Barnes. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a statement obtained by NBC 5 DFW that Barnes was later taken by ambulance to Medical City Arlington and pronounced dead at 3:27 p.m.
Although APD has not provided a motive for the shooting, detectives believe that the two students knew each other and the victim was targeted, per the news release.
Howard, who was allegedly found in possession of a THC cartridge but not the murder weapon upon his arrest, had not yet spoken to police as of Wednesday afternoon due to a lack of legal representation, per NBC 5.
The investigation — as well as the search for the murder weapon — is still ongoing.
“Our hearts are with the entire Bowie High School community tonight,” said Arlington Police Chief Al Jones in a statement.
“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.”
A public vigil for anyone wishing to attend will be held at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
“All are welcome to join us in a time of prayer, reflection, and solidarity with our Bowie High School community,” the church wrote on social media.
Classes at Bowie High School remain canceled through Friday but will resume on April 29, according to a social media post from the school.
“Counselors will be available for students and staff at Bowie starting Friday from 9 a.m. until noon. Check-in for counseling will be in the cafeteria. There will also be counselors at Bowie next week for anyone who needs them,” the school wrote.
School security has been a critical issue in North Texas since the tragedy of Uvalde, leading to lawmakers passing several mandates aimed at keeping students and staff safe. However, two school shootings have occurred in the metroplex this month, with another incident involving two students at Wilmer-Hutchins High School ending with one shot in the thigh. The Dallas ISD campus had metal detectors and a clear backpack policy.