Bowie High School shooting victim and suspect identified; gun not yet recovered, police say
ARLINGTON — Police identified the suspect and victim in Wednesday's shooting at James Bowie High School in Arlington, but said they had not yet recovered the gun used in the shooting.
Arlington ISD canceled classes Thursday and Friday. Although, the school will be open 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday so students can see counselors and get any items they left on campus. Classes will resume Monday, April 29 and counselors will continue to be available as long as necessary.
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Police arrested 17-year-old Bowie High School student Julian Howard and charged him with one count of murder in the death of 18-year-old Etavion Barnes. Howard was booked into Arlington City Jail on one count of murder. He was also charged with possession of a controlled substance for having what police believe to be a THC cartridge.
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said Barnes was shot five or six times. Officers say they tried to perform life-saving measures on Barnes while waiting for paramedics. He was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Howard tried to flee campus, but police found him and took him into custody without incident, officials said. Police believe the two students knew each other and that Howard targeted Barnes.
"We cannot tolerate this kind of violence in our community, in our neighborhoods and certainly won't tolerate it in our schools," Jones said, urging firearm owners to properly secure their guns.
Arlington police cleared each classroom one by one before students were dismissed from campus to a reunification site. All students and staff were taken to the Arlington ISD Athletics and Aquatics Center by bus for reunification with families.
One student's sister told CBS News Texas that her sister said all the students "were terrified."
"It was horrible," the woman said. "For me, it is traumatic, because this has happened twice at both schools she has been to. I'm not OK knowing that they are at school and it's happening. It is traumatic. There is nothing to say about it. It is traumatic for the kids."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting Arlington police in the case. Jones said investigators are working to determine a motive.
"Words fail me this evening as we grapple with this tragedy that has impacted our entire Bowie High School family," said Dr. Matt Smith, the superintendent of Arlington ISD. "Our schools should be safe places where students love to learn and grow, so we're devastated that violence disrupted that mission."
Smith thanked Arlington police for their swift action and said the district would continue to work with the police department throughout the entire investigation.
