1 student dead in shooting on Arlington high school campus, suspect in custody: Police

ARLINGTON — A student was killed in a shooting Wednesday afternoon on the campus of James Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas, according to the Arlington Independent School District. A suspect is in custody.

Bowie High School was placed on lockdown at 2:50 p.m. because of an on-campus shooting outside of the school building. The Arlington Police Department responded immediately.

Responding officers found the victim, an 18-year-old student, on the ground, unresponsive and performed life-saving measures as they waited for paramedics to arrive. He was taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said the victim was shot five or six times.

The victim's name has not been released.

The 17-year-old suspect tried to flee the campus, but police found him and he was taken into custody without incident, officials said. Police believe the suspect and victim, both students, knew each other.

Arlington PD has not identified the suspect yet but said he will be charged with one count of murder.

"We cannot tolerate this kind of violence in our community, in our neighborhoods and certainly won't tolerate it in our schools," said Jones. "We can't do this great work by ourselves. We need everybody to help us. If you own a firearm, properly secure it so it does up in the hands of our kids. As a society, we have to stop resorting to violence."

Student dismissal was delayed and Arlington ISD established the reunification site for Bowie High School students and families at the Arlington ISD Athletics and Aquatics Center. Before students could leave the campus, each classroom was cleared one by one by Arlington PD. At intervals, all students and staff were taken by buses from Bowie High School to the Arlington ISD Athletics Complex.

"I got a very scary notice and she sent me a picture of the kid on the floor," one student's sister told CBS News Texas as she waited at the reunification area. "She sounded scared, but she was in the hallway. They started the announcement saying for everyone to go into class and she heard seven shots go off."

The woman said her sister told her all the students "were terrified."

"She didn't know what to do," the woman said. "It was horrible. For me, it is traumatic, because this has happened twice at both schools she has been to. I'm not okay knowing that they are at school and it's happening. It is traumatic. There is nothing to say about it. It is traumatic for the kids."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting Arlington police in the case. Jones said investigators are working to determine a motive.

Classes are canceled at Bowie High School for Thursday, Arlington ISD announced, adding that "when students return to class, they will have the full support of our counseling team for as long as needed."

"Words fail me this evening as we grapple with this tragedy that has impacted our entire Bowie High School family," said Dr. Matt Smith, the superintendent of Arlington ISD. "Our schools should be safe places where students love to learn and grow, so we're devastated that violence disrupted that mission."

Smith thanked Arlington police for their swift action and said the district would continue to work with the police department throughout the entire investigation.