North Texas middle school student wanted in fatal shooting of a man, officials say; school district increases security
Police are searching for a juvenile suspect after an adult man was fatally shot Saturday night in Lavon, east of Plano, officials said.
Lavon police officers were called to a shooting in the 700 block of Wellington Drive just before 9 p.m., where they found a man had been shot several times. Despite life-saving efforts, 24-year-old Romeo English, of Rowlett, was pronounced dead, the report states.
Police said the suspect and victim were both at a gathering when an argument turned physical.
"A short time later, while the victim was preparing to leave, the suspect brandished a firearm and shot the victim multiple times at close range, " the report states. The suspect then fled the scene.
Lavon police said the suspect in the targeted shooting is a boy, 14 years old and Black, but did not provide any further information about his identity. They also said they have credible information that he left the area.
Suspect identified as middle school student
Community Independent School District said on Sunday that the suspect in the shooting has been identified as a student of Community Trails Middle School.
The district said that the student has not been on campus since Nov. 11, and that Lavon police believe that it was a targeted act, adding that it does not believe district campuses face any threat from the student.
Community ISD also said that until the suspect is caught, campuses in Lavon, including Community Trails Middle School, Dodson Elementary School, and NeSmith Elementary School, will be closed to visitors.
Community ISD closes campuses to visitors amid search
"While the District does not believe this student poses a threat to any campus, we take the safety and security of our students and staff seriously," Community ISD said in a statement.
The district said in addition to the preexisting armed district police officer at each building, those campuses will also have an increased security presence.
Community ISD said that when the suspect is caught, it will reopen the buildings to visitors.
Both the district and the police department said that since the suspect is a juvenile, he will not be identified.