The suspect in the Arlington school shooting made bond and was freed from the Tarrant County prison about the same time his family claimed on social media on Thursday that he had been “threatened, assaulted, and tormented” since the start of the school year.
After a federal court blocked Texas’ new abortion restrictions on Thursday, both sides claimed triumph.
According to a Facebook post claimed to his family, school officials had done nothing to address the bullying.
Timothy George Simpkins, 18, was arrested at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday after a morning shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington that left four people injured. Simpkins had been detained at the Arlington prison until 9 a.m. Thursday, when he was moved to the Tarrant County jail.
He’s been charged with three counts of aggravated assault. According to prison records, his bond was set at $75,000. He voluntarily surrendered with the assistance of an attorney, although it is unknown who represents him.
According to court papers, Simpkins was placed under home arrest as a condition of his bond. He is not allowed to have a gun and must keep at least 1,000 feet away from Timberview. He was also told not to contact any of the persons who had been hurt.
When asked what Simpkins should do now that he’s been released, a family attorney told the gathering press that he needs to finish school.
“You’re aware that a mass shooting and a school shooting are two different things,” Kim Cole said. “These are individuals who want to kill numerous people, which is not what happened.”
Following a gunshot at Mansfield Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, Mansfield ISD police officers block the entrance where most of the activity took place. The incident left four individuals injured, and the perpetrator surrendered to Arlington police.
Education
The family of the suspect in the Arlington school massacre claims he was robbed and bullied.
Valeria Olivares, Kevin Krause, and John Gravois contributed to this article.
The suspected attacker’s motives are unknown, although he appears to have acted after a disagreement, and family members claim he was bullied.
“Recently, he was ambushed outside of school by a gang of young guys, stripped of his clothing in front of a throng of spectators, and stolen of his money and valuables,” according to the Facebook post.
“All of these incidents were brought to the attention of school officials,” according to the report. “And nothing was done to safeguard my son at all.” He felt sad and didn’t want to get out of bed on certain days,” according to the article. “I am convinced he was concerned for his safety and believed he had no backing from those in positions of authority who were supposed to protect him.”
While the article makes it clear that the use of a gun is never justified, it does mention Simpkins’ father, who was brutally killed. “And this information undoubtedly heightened Timothy’s dread for his life — not to mention the fact that the young guys responsible for assaulting and harassing him recently threatened to kill him,” the article adds. “So you see, my son was scared and felt he would be murdered just like his father.”
The director of communications and marketing for Mansfield ISD, Hope Boyd, stated in an email that a “thorough investigation of yesterday’s event is still continuing, therefore particular information cannot be addressed at this time.”
”What we can say is that the physical and social-emotional safety and security of our kids and employees has always been and will continue to be our [No. 1] priority. Every report of a possible bullying scenario is thoroughly examined and subjected to the necessary protocols in order to analyze and select the appropriate response.”
Boyd also provided a link to the district’s anti-bullying webpage, which detailed the district’s bullying definitions, processes for determining if particular behaviors match the “legal definition” of bullying, and how to report such behavior.
What we know about Simpkins and the shooting is:
He attends Timberview High School in Arlington, which is part of the Mansfield Independent School District, and is 18 years old.
He was a straight-A student who attended private school until recently and had an excellent GPA, according to his family’s Facebook post on Thursday.
Simpkins is an extroverted, well-liked, loving guy, according to Carol Harrison Lafayette, a relative speaking on behalf of the family, who said Wednesday that he was thrilled to graduate from high school.
He aspires to be an engineer, according to his family. According to the article, “Timothy has always been a sweet and sensitive youngster who likes to study.” “Most of his relatives refer to him as the family’s ‘little geek’ since he spends so much time focused on his academics.”
On Wednesday, October 6, 2021, police officers work the site of a school shooting at Mansfield Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas. Inside the school, four individuals were hurt and sent to local hospitals. The gunman has yet to be apprehended. (The Dallas Morning News/Tom Fox)
Crime
The timeline of the shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington.
Nataly Keomoungkhoun is a writer who lives in Thailand.
The shooting occurred after a quarrel broke out in a second-story classroom at the school on Wednesday morning. After the shooting, the suspect fled.
A social media video circulating on the internet purports to show Simpkins in a fight at the school, but authorities have yet to confirm that it is from the school.
Police said they have no idea how the gunman was able to get a pistol inside the school. On England Parkway in Grand Prairie, police discovered a.45-caliber pistol, and federal officials are investigating whether it was used in the shooting.
Simpkins drives a 2018 silver Dodge Charger, and police started looking for it. The car was discovered at a Grand Prairie apartment complex.
Simpkins surrendered to authorities about 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, and he spoke with detectives with the help of an attorney.
A SWAT team executed a search warrant at the residence where he lives with his grandmother about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Edgefield area, with its limestone and brick facades, is a relatively new construction.
Simpkins’ social media profiles seemed to be online on Wednesday morning, but they are no longer accessible.
