Family of alleged Texas school shooter says he was repeatedly bullied, robbed, was 'trying to protect himself'
Family members of the Timberview High School student who reportedly opened fire on classmates and teachers following a dispute Wednesday morning are now claiming that he was a victim of bullying.
Timothy George Simpkins, 18, of Arlington, Texas, was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Wednesday after allegedly pulling out a gun and firing shots during a fight with another student in a second-floor classroom.
Four people, including two students and two teachers, were injured in the incident. Simpkins fled the scene in a Dodge Charger but turned himself into police a few hours later with an attorney.
Speaking with reporters after the incident, Simpkins' family said while they don't condone Simpkins' use of a firearm, they hope an investigation will turn up proof that he was acting in self-defense.
"The decision he made, taking the gun, we are not justifying that. That was not right. But he was trying to protect himself. We hope the police department does the investigation properly," Carol Harrison Lafayette, a family member, said, according to KDFW-TV.
The family claimed that there are documented reports of ongoing bullying incidents between Simpkins and other students, though neither police nor the Mansfield Independent School District have confirmed the existence of such reports.
Family of suspect in Timberview school shooting releases statement youtu.be
"He was robbed," Lafayette said, according to the Dallas Morning News. "It was recorded. It happened not just once, it happened twice. He was scared, he was afraid.
"There is no justification of anybody ... being hurt," she continued. "[But] we have to take a look at the fact that bullying is real. And it takes us all. And I do apologize. We ask as a family for forgiveness of any type of hurt."
They claim that he may have been a "target" for bullying due to the fact that he had material possessions that others didn't have and that he "wore nice clothes" and "drove nice cars."
Simpkins' cousin Cint Wheat posted a video on Facebook that appears to show a fight involving Simpkins, but details have yet to be confirmed.
When asked about the bullying claims, Arlington Police Asst. Chief Kevin Kolbye said that detectives will be looking into the allegations, but he noted that it doesn't excuse criminal behavior.
"I just want to stress that, you know, we don't accept bullying and it's the responsibility of the teachers to deal with some of those things in the Mansfield school district," Kolbye said. "But even if you're bullied, there are other options besides carrying a gun into a school and using a gun in a situation like that. That's just not acceptable today."
BREAKING: Shots fired at Texas high school; police confirm 'multiple victims,' video captures ensuing chaos — suspect on the run
Update, 10/6/2021, 12:48 p.m. ET:
Jeff Boshek, special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' Dallas Field Division, said that the agency will track down the weapon used by the suspect.
"We'll figure out where this individual got this gun from," he vowed during a press conference on the incident. "Our agents won't sleep, working with our partners here, to figure out how he got this weapon in his hand to come in this school and cause this tragedy today. So, I don't have much information I can give you on the weapon. Obviously, we don't have that yet. We haven't been in the school to figure out the caliber of the weapon or anything like that yet, but as soon as we do, we'll have something to get out to you guys."
Update, 10/6/2021, 12:22 p.m. ET:
Police say that they believe the shooting took place following a fight "between a student and another individual in a class."
At the time of this reporting, police say that there are four victims.
The suspect is 18-year-old black male Timothy George Simpkins, who is on the loose and is considered armed and dangerous. He is believed to be driving a 2018 Silver Dodge Charger with license plate PFY-6260.
The Arlington Police tweeted, "We are looking for a shooting suspect in today's incident at @mansfieldisd Timberview School. Please call 911 if you know the whereabouts of 18-year-old Timothy George Simpkins who may be driving at 2018 Silver Dodge Charger with license plate PFY-6260."
We are looking for a shooting suspect in today’s incident at @mansfieldisd Timberview School. Please call 911 if yo… https://t.co/8mMqPO0675
— Arlington Police, TX (@ArlingtonPD) 1633537512.0
Update, 10/6/2021, 12:14 p.m. ET: KTVT-TV reports that the "all clear" has been given at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday after an active shooter situation unfolded.
The Mansfield Independent School District has begun the reunification process families, and officials said that students are "safely" being escorted to buses.
One mother told KTVT reporter Nicole Jacobs that her child was able to get into contact with her during the incident as police searched the hallways for the suspect.
"I haven't been able to reach my son for 20 minutes," the unnamed parent said. "When we last spoke, I heard the other kids crying and screaming in the classroom."
The station reported that officials with the Arlington Police Department confirmed that the ATF Dallas Field Division, Mansfield Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department, and Mansfield ISD police are all working the scene and are executing a "methodical search" of the school campus.
Parents are being directed to the Center for Performing Arts to reunite with their children.
Original story continues below ...
Gunfire erupted at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday, reportedly killing at least one person at the time of this reporting and injuring multiple other people.
What are the details?
Police are responding to reports of an active shooter Wednesday morning at the Arlington school, according to various reports.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, police have confirmed "multiple victims" in the shooting as people were being transported to local hospitals following the apparent attack.
At least one other area school has been placed on lockdown, according to the report.
Video footage believed to have been taken inside the school as the gunshots rang out appeared on social media soon after reports of the shooting went live.
BREAKING: Multiple injuries in school shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas https://t.co/sJizPMT6Zm
— Stoll News (@StollNews) 1633533922.0
What else?
WYFF-TV reported that Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said that at least two people were injured, but said that the severity of injuries were unknown.
KXAS-TV reporter Maria Guerrero also reported that police were continuing to work to detain the suspect as of 10:45 a.m. local time.
The school remains on lockdown at the time of this reporting.
TIMBERVIEW HS PARENTS GO HERE TO REUNITE WITH YOUR CHILD: Center for Performing Arts 1110 W. Debbie- Visitors… https://t.co/DEU7ZGZsHf
— Maria Guerrero (@Maria_NBC5) 1633535157.0
This is a breaking story and will be updated as events warrant.
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