Family of Arlington school shooting suspect says he was robbed, bullied

The motivations of the alleged attacker in Wednesday’s Arlington faculty capturing continue to be not known, but he seemingly acted immediately after a struggle, and family members users claimed he had been bullied.

Law enforcement arrested Timothy George Simpkins, 18, in the early morning capturing at Timberview High School in the Mansfield Unbiased College District.

A woman who discovered herself as Simpkins’ mom claimed he was bullied. But she declined to remark Wednesday afternoon exterior Simpkins’ grandmother’s house in Arlington as legislation enforcement searched the home.

Cint Wheat, his cousin, wrote in a Fb publish, “At the conclude of the working day my lil cousin was bullied. I don’t know to feel about this he not no terrible child.”

Afterwards in the evening, Carol Harrison Lafayette, who explained she’s a loved ones member talking for the family, claimed at the home that Simpkins was robbed before the attack occurred.

“He was robbed,” she stated. “It was recorded. It occurred not just once, it transpired twice. He was frightened, he was worried.”

“There is no justification of any individual … staying harm,” she claimed, introducing, “We have to consider a search at the simple fact that bullying is serious. And it can take us all. And I do apologize. We talk to as a family for forgiveness of any sort of harm.”

When asked at a news meeting about bullying fears some mother and father have voiced, Donald Williams, Mansfield ISD’s associate superintendent of communications, said that the district is conducting a whole investigation of the taking pictures and its result in.

“What I will say to that is we just take the basic safety and stability of our college students in our school and personnel significantly,” he explained.

4 people today were wounded — like a 15-calendar year-outdated boy who was critically wounded, for the duration of the morning taking pictures. Simpkins was taken into custody hrs afterwards following surrendering with the assist of an attorney.

Here’s what we know about Simpkins and the shooting so significantly:

• He is an 18-yr-previous student at Timberview Superior School in Arlington.
• A fight reportedly broke out in a 2nd-tale classroom at the university, adopted by the taking pictures. The suspect fled the scene immediately after the taking pictures.
• Law enforcement commenced to appear for the auto Simpkins drives, a 2018 silver Dodge Charger. The motor vehicle was discovered at an apartment complicated in Grand Prairie.
• Simpkins turned himself in to authorities at about 1:15 p.m., and with an attorney, was talking to detectives.

• Law enforcement claimed they would seek out a few costs of aggravated assault in opposition to Simpkins. He was booked into the Arlington jail just ahead of 2 p.m., and his bail was set at $75,000.
• A social media movie circulating appears to exhibit an individual who appears to be like Simpkins in a fight at the school, but law enforcement claimed they just cannot verify that it is from the university yet.
• Law enforcement never know how the shooter obtained a gun into the faculty. Grand Prairie law enforcement recovered a .45-caliber handgun on England Parkway and federal authorities are trying to find to determine whether it was employed in the shooting.
• About 2:30 p.m., a SWAT team executed a search warrant at the household the place he lives with his grandmother. The Edgefield neighborhood is a reasonably new growth with limestone and brick facades.
• Simpkins’ social media accounts surface to have been lively early Wednesday but the accounts are no lengthier readily available.

Lafayette stated Simpkins is an outgoing, perfectly-appreciated, loving person. “He was wanting ahead to graduating and undertaking anything with his lifetime,” she said.

Researchers Erin Sood, Naomi Kaskela and Ana Niño contributed to this story.

The DMN Instruction Lab deepens the protection and discussion about urgent training problems crucial to the foreseeable future of North Texas.

The DMN Education and learning Lab is a neighborhood-funded journalism initiative, with guidance from The Beck Group, Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Basis of Texas, The Dallas Basis, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, The Meadows Foundation, Answers Journalism Network, Southern Methodist College and Todd A. Williams Loved ones Foundation. The Dallas Early morning News retains full editorial regulate of the Schooling Lab’s journalism.