Arlington Bowie High School shooting: 17-year-old suspect, 18-year-old victim identified
ARLINGTON, Texas - A 17-year-old Arlington Bowie High School student is facing charges for the shooting death of another student on campus Wednesday afternoon.
The accused killer has been identified as Julian Howard.
Arlington police said Howard shot and killed 18-year-old Etavian Barnes around 3 p.m. Wednesday just as the dismissal bell was about to ring.
School resource officers got there immediately and found Barnes lying on the ground near a portable building on campus. They said he’d been shot five or six times.
Officers performed CPR, but Barnes died at the hospital.
Police said Howard tried to get away, but officers found him near the baseball field and a parking lot.
A spokesman for Arlington police credited witnesses for helping officers find Howard. The witnesses gave officers a physical description of the suspect.
He’s currently being held in the Arlington city jail facing a murder charge and a controlled substance charge because officers found a THC cartridge on him.
At this point, police believe the two students knew each other, but they are still trying to determine a motive. Howard hasn't cooperated with investigators, police said.
Police have not yet recovered a weapon.
Arlington ISD is now reviewing security footage to see if the gun was brought inside the school, which does have metal detectors.
Police say they don't yet know how he obtained the gun because they are still searching for it.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough released a statement Thursday echoing that of the Arlington police chief.
"FBI Dallas always stands ready to support investigations and respond to potential threats throughout the territory we serve, but our greatest need is to harness the power of community support," he said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Chief Al Jones implored people to report concerning behavior.
"We can't do this great work by ourselves, we need everyone to help us. If you own a firearm, we need you to properly secure it, so it does not wind up in the hands of kids," Jones said.
School and community leaders are trying to process what happened.
"Honestly, I’m at a loss for words tonight by this tragedy at Bowie High School this afternoon," said Arlington ISD Superintendent Matt Smith.
"As a society, we have to stop resorting to violence. Violence is never the answer," added Chief Jones.
After the shooting, students were sent to a reunification site about 20 minutes away from the campus. Parents were asked to pick up their children there.
It took several hours for everyone to be picked up.
Classes at Bowie High School were canceled for Thursday and will be canceled again on Friday.
The school will be open from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. so students can retrieve any essential items they left on campus.
Counselors will also be on hand for students and staff from 9 a.m. until noon on Friday. They will also be at the school next week.
Arlington ISD says it is conducting a review of the incident.
