The information in the following article is an update from the Oct. 6 Timberview Shooting that the Dallas Express has previously reported on. Timberview High School was the victim of a shooting incident on Wednesday, leaving three injured and one in critical condition.
The alleged shooter, 18-year-old Timothy Simpkins, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to the Arlington Police Department, the suspect fled the campus in a Dodge Charger before turning himself in.
Initially, Simpkins was taken to the Arlington jail but was transferred to Tarrant County Corrections Center early Thursday. NBC DFW reports that Simpkins was released on Thursday with a $75,000 bond. Police also discovered the .45 handgun suspected to be the weapon Simpkins pulled from his backpack.
Videos posted on social media show a fight occurring in the classroom between Simpkins and another individual moments before Simpkins began shooting.
As for the victims of the shooting, only two are still getting care at the hospital and are expected to recover, Arlington Police said. A pregnant woman was among those injured but was treated on-scene, NBC DFW writes.
Now, the Simpkins family asks for forgiveness. The family claims that Timothy was “defending himself” and that he was repeatedly bullied up to the incident.
The Lafayette family told FOX-4, “The decision he made, taking the gun, we are not justifying that. That was not right. But he was trying to protect himself. We hope the police department does the investigation properly.”
Mansfield ISD has yet to comment on whether or not Timothy Simpkins was a victim of bullying.
Assistant Chief of Police Kevin Kolbye spoke on the situation, “I just want to stress that, you know, we don’t accept bullying, and it’s the responsibility of the teachers to deal with some of those things in the Mansfield school district.” Kolbye afterward strongly condemned the actions of Simpkins, saying that there are other methods besides violence in resolving conflict.