Police release 911 call, bodycam video from Mesquite charter school shooting
MESQUITE – Police have released 911 calls and bodycam video from the shooting that took place at the Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy on Feb. 19.
The 911 call came from the school's assistant principal. She told dispatch that there was a student in the building with a gun.
"I'm with him, he's fine, I'm calming him down, we need someone here now," she said. "He's just standing, he won't put the gun down."
He was in her office at the time, when she put the building in lockdown.
"Put the gun down, please put the gun down," the assistant principal of PTAA said to the student while she was calling 911 to police.
Police then arrived within two minutes, Mesquite police PIO Brandon Ricketts said.
Ricketts said police spoke with the student, a 16-year-old boy, for about four minutes.
"Did anything upset you today?" one police officer said. "We don't want anything to happen to you or anyone else."
"What's going on today buddy? Can you talk to us? We would like to help you. That's why we are here," a Mesquite police officer is heard saying to the teen.
While police were talking to the student, he reached for the gun on the floor, and police started shooting. Mesquite police tell CBS News Texas the teen did point the gun at officers. On CCTV from the school, the student is seen standing up and pointing the weapon towards officers.
Three officers fired 19 times over the two threats encountered by the student, Ricketts said.
The student was transported to a local hospital in stable condition after suffering injuries to his lower legs. Police haven't said if the injuries were from gunshots or not. No other injuries were reported.
Mother Ashley Rubio says her 13-year-old daughter Chloe is an 8th grader at PTAA and was feet away from where the shots were fired.
"I had no clue what was going on. I was in panic. But I knew I couldn't panic. I was trying to think of ways to help her calm her down and try to find all kinds of answers," Rubio said.
Police say the student brought the weapon to campus "intending to do harm."
The student has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault against a public servant as well as exhibition of a firearm.
Rubio also says only clear or mesh backpacks and bags have been allowed inside the school prior to the incident. However, she says there have not been any metal detectors at the school until the Wednesday after the shooting.
"Why did it take this happening in order for the school to get metal detectors?" says Rubio.
Rubio said parents are still frustrated with how this student got inside with a gun and with the school's overall response.
"I would prefer that the school just say whether things were lacking. If they just cannot tell the parents that, then that can help us make more decisions on do we want to send our kids to school next year," Rubio explains.
Investigators say they believe there was at least one security guard on site the Monday of the incident.
Mesquite police will continue interviewing witnesses.
CBS News Texas reached out to PTAA for comment Tuesday and has not heard back.
