Texas high school shooting suspect turns himself in after wounding 4
The suspect in a Texas high school shooting that reportedly wounded four people turned himself in to authorities.
The 18-year-old suspect in the Wednesday morning shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington wounded three students and one person believed to be a teacher.
According to CBS DFW, Arlington Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye reported that the suspect “turned himself in with an attorney.” He faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Kolbye said at a press conference that the shooting appears to have started in a classroom as the result of a fight with another student. Concluding that it was “not a random act of violence,” Kolbye said that three people were sent to a local hospital while the fourth injured person refused medical treatment.
According to the police department, one of the victims is recovering and listed in critical condition. A second victim is listed in good condition, while a third was treated for minor abrasions.
By afternoon, the Arlington Police Department announced that they were looking for the suspect, Timothy Simpkins, whom they described as “armed and dangerous.”
“Officers arrived on scene quickly and secured the school. They determined the shooter left the building after the incident,” stated the APD in a Facebook post.
Officials have set up a reunification center at the Mansfield Independent School District Center for the Performing Arts, where Timberview students will be bussed and parents can pick up their kids.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, the students, and staff at Timberview High School — and be assured that APD and all of our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to bring the suspect to justice,” concluded the police department's statement.
Ed Young, the senior pastor of Fellowship Church, which has campuses in Texas and Florida, offered support for those affected by the shooting in a Facebook post.
“Pray for the families and friends of the students and teachers involved in the shooting this morning at Timberview High in Arlington, Texas,” he wrote. “It’s so important that we pray for, care for, and guide our youth more than ever before.”
A 17-year-old student who had written in a private journal about his plans to shoot up the school and then kill himself surrendered to authorities soon after.
In November 2019, the student was declared incompetent to stand trial. In February, he was ordered to remain in a mental health facility for another 12 months.
