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The 18-year-old accused of injuring four people at Timberview High School in Arlington was released from jail Thursday after his family released him on bail from Tarrant County Jail on $ 75,000 bail.
Timothy Simpkins faces three counts of aggravated assault after police say he pulled a gun from his backpack and targeted a 15-year-old who fought with him in a room Wednesday morning class.
Arlington Deputy Police Chief Kevin Kolbye said Simpkins wore white in a widely shared Facebook video of the fight, which occurred moments before the shooting. The 15-year-old has been seen punching Simpkins several times in this video.
Kolbye said the 15-year-old, who was still recovering in hospital on Thursday, could also face charges.
“Thanks to our investigation, nothing is out of place. I have made a commitment that there is accountability and we are looking at any conduct that may be criminal conduct on his part, ”Kolbye said. “Even though there was a fight and it seemed like it was a pretty brutal fight, there is still no justification for bringing a gun into a school.”
Relatives of Simpkins have claimed he was bullied. A lawyer representing Simpkins said the situation is different from other school shootings where guns shoot anyone at random.
Timberview High School is located in an Arlington part of the Mansfield Independent School District.
Kolbye said Arlington Police were working with Mansfield ISD Police to investigate previous reports of bullying.
“Any child who today thinks that there is bullying in our schools should be sure to report it to their school principal,” Kolbye said. “We want answers to understand how this fight happened, why it happened. And we also want to understand why young people today think they need guns in our schools.
A recovered weapon was associated with a cartridge case found in this classroom. Police are still investigating how Simpkins obtained the gun.
Kolbye said he approved the plan on Wednesday to evacuate 1,700 students from Timberview after the shooting and take them by bus to the Mansfield ISD Performing Arts Center to find their parents to get them safely away from the crime scene.
The deputy chief said another minor was arrested Thursday for uttering threats of violence at Ousley Junior High School in the Arlington Independent School District.
“I ask parents to make sure they actively monitor and talk to their children about social media threats,” Kolbye said. “It’s just not acceptable today.”
Timberview High School was to be closed to students on Friday and Monday.
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