An 18-year-old student was fatally shot multiple times outside Bowie High School on Wednesday afternoon.
The shooting happened around 2:50 pm near a portable building on campus, just as students were getting ready to leave for the day. Police identified the victim as Etavion Barnes and said he was pronounced dead at the hospital after frantic efforts by a school resource officer to administer CPR.
Authorities moved swiftly to apprehend the suspected shooter, a 17-year-old student who allegedly attempted to flee the scene on foot. He was taken into custody near the school grounds and will be booked into jail as an adult on pending charges.
While a possible motive remains unclear, police believe the suspect and Barnes were known to each other. A book bag related to the shooting was recovered, though it’s uncertain if the weapon was inside it at any point.
In the wake of the tragedy, Bowie High School went into immediate lockdown as emotional scenes played out – students being bused to a reunification site miles away to be picked up by frantic parents well into the evening hours.
“We cannot tolerate this kind of violence in our community. We can’t tolerate this violence in our neighborhoods, and we certainly won’t tolerate it in our schools,” declared Arlington Police Chief Al Jones. “Violence is never the right answer.”
The shooting has left the tight-knit Arlington ISD community reeling. All classes at Bowie High School were canceled for Thursday as counselors prepared to help students and staff process the immense trauma.
“Schools are supposed to be a place of learning and growth, and this afternoon it was interrupted by senseless violence,” lamented Superintendent Dr. Matt Smith. “When students return…they will have the full support of our counseling team for as long as needed.”
