Timberview school shooting - live: Suspect taken into custody after four wounded in Arlington, Texas attack
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The gunman suspected of shooting several people at a Texas high school on Wednesday has been taken into custody, police say.
Timothy George Simpkins, 18, handed himself in to police just after 2pm.
Mr Simpkins has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Kevin Kolbye, assistant chief of Arlington Police, announced the arrest at a press conference.
Mr Simpkins made contact with detectives through an attorney, and drove himself to a police station, police said.
The gun involved in the shooting, a .45 calibre handgun, was recovered from England Parkway, Grand Prairie.
The gun is going to be turned over to The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to run ballistics.
Three people were taken to hospital after the shooting, two suffering gunshot wounds, and one with minor injuries.
A 15-year-old male was in critical condition on Wednesday afternoon.
A male, 25, and a teenage girl were described as being in a good condition. A fourth victim was treated at the scene.
Suspect turned himself in, assistant police chief says
The 18-year-old suspect in the Timberview High School shooting turned himself in to authorities after fleeing in a vehicle, Arlington Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye told reporters.
He added that all victims are “okay at this point and time”.
One of the victims, a student, “went into surgery, he is in an ICU and he is out of surgery at this point in time”.
An adult male “is not in surgery but is in good condition,” Mr Kolbye said.
He added that a teenage girl was grazed by a bullet but is also okay.
Texas shooting: Police arrest suspected gunman who wounded four at Arlington high school
The gunman suspected of shooting several people at a Texas high school on Wednesday has been taken into custody, police say.
Timothy George Simpkins, 18, handed himself in to police just after 2pm.
Mr Simpkins has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Kevin Kolbye, assistant chief of Arlington Police, announced the arrest at a press conference.
Read more:
Police arrest suspected gunman who wounded four at Texas high school
Suspect in Texas shooting has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
All students have been evacuated from school
Arlington Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye has said that all students have been evacuated from Timberview High School.
He added that there’s a heavy police presence surrounding schools in the area.
Law enforcement said they have recovered what they think is the weapon that was used in the shooting.
An official said that they found the weapon “in the streets” and added that the investigation will remain ongoing.
Police urge parents to monitor children’s social media as threats circulate
Mr Kolbye said during a press conference that parents should monitor their children’s social media as police resources had to be diverted from the manhunt after several violent threats were made across various platforms.
He said those making the threats would be arrested.
Suspect drove himself to police station
Kevin Kolbye, assistant chief of Arlington Police, said during a press conference that the suspect, Timothy George Simpkins, made contact with detectives through an attorney, and drove himself to a police station.
Mr Kolbye said the weapon thought to be involved in the shooting, a .45 calibre handgun, was recovered from England Parkway, Grand Prairie.
More than 1,700 students transported from school
More than 1,700 students have been transported from Timberview high school and all extracurricular activities have been cancelled for the day.
When asked if new policies for bags will be introduced or if metal detectors will be acquired, a spokesperson for the Mansfield Independent School District said: “Where we’re at today is that we want to assess and evaluate every aspect of what transpired, and then make recommendations as far as how we’re going to move forward.”
Parents congregate to reunite with their kids after shooting
Parents line up outside Mansfield performing arts centre to reunite with their kids
Texas paper editorial board: ‘It’s all so depressingly routine’
The editorial board of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram have written that there was “an eerie calm” about how the shooting unfolded “that betrays how deeply these acts of violence have embedded themselves in our lives,” adding that “it’s all so depressingly routine”.
The board wrote that if the early reports are true that the shooting took place after a fight, a discussion must be had about “ways to prevent young men from channelling anger into violence”.
“We’ve known that the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly harmed many young people’s emotions and mental health,” they wrote. “Whatever role that played in Wednesday’s events, we must all do better to help young people deal with life’s challenges without descending into rage.”