On Wednesday, October 6th there were reported gunshots around 9:15 a.m. at Timberview High School in Arlington Texas. There was no clear explanation of how the shooting started, but the police say it was because of a confrontation that took place beforehand.
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Arlington police explain that the shooting had occurred in a classroom on the second floor. This shooting was not random as a student was in a fight and took out his weapon. When officers later showed up to the scene, there was no sign of an active threat in the building.
What’s most important about this situation is the people affected by the shooting. There were four people injured, two being shot, and three being hospitalized. “One of the victims is a 15-year-old boy with gunshot wounds who is listed in critical condition, according to the Arlington police statement. A 25-year-old man also had gunshot wounds and is in good condition, the release said. A teenage girl who may have been grazed by a bullet was released Wednesday night and is in good condition with an abrasion, said Arlington Police spokesman Tim Ciesco.” (cnn.com)
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According to Arlington police, 18-year-old, Timothy George Simpkins was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Timothy turned himself in the following day and was a set bond of $75,000. On Thursday online jail records show that Timothy Simpkins did not show up on the inmate list for Tarrant County Jail, assuming he got released that day.
The weapon used during the shooting was recovered on “the streets of Grand Prairie” just a couple of miles from Timberview High School. Cnn.com stated, “Grand Prairie police said the weapon recovered was a .45-caliber handgun. Police believe it was the weapon used in the school shooting, according to Grand Prairie police Chief Daniel Scesney, but that has not been confirmed. He said the gun has been turned over to the ATF for ballistics testing.”
The Simpkins’ family is asking for forgiveness according to the family’s spokesperson Carol Harrison-Lafayette. She also explains that bringing a gun to school is not justified but it was out of trying to defend himself.
School shootings have been very prevalent throughout the years and in 2021 alone. Edweek.org states, “There have been 23 school shootings this year, 15 since August 1. There have been 82 school shootings since 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have interrupted the trend line. The 2020 figure, with 10 shootings, was significantly lower than 2019, with 25 shootings and 2018 with 24.”
Since 2009, the number of multiple-victim shooting incidents has increased. “According to the latest SCS data collected in 2017, being the victim of a violent crime at school is rare. About 1% of students surveyed reported experiencing a violent victimization in the six months prior to survey completion and less than 0.5% reported a serious violent victimization.” (nij.opj.gov)
Number of violent crimes in the U.S Number of homicides in the U.S
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When the COVID-19 virus started in 2020, the amount of property crimes such as robberies, larceny, and residential burglaries has decreased. “According to the FBI's preliminary 2020 findings, violent crime rose by 3% across the country last year. But the number of murders rose by 25% between 2019 and 2020 — the largest jump recorded in the US in a one-year period since the FBI began releasing annual figures in the 1960s.” (CNN.com)
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The act of bullying plays a huge role in why people commit school shootings. The person committing violent acts was often bullied and it happened for a long period of time causing them to act out. Nij.opj.gov states, “According to the SCS, about 5% of students surveyed in 2017 reported being subject to this physical bullying behavior.” Most schools only report at least one incident of crime per year. The amount of violent and serious violent crimes has decreased. A serious violent crime may include a physical attack with a weapon, rape, or a fight. Many of these acts of violence like the Texas shooting all possibly started with confrontation. If schools continue to allow fights and outbreaks to happen, they may end up like Timberview High School on October 6th.
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