Mesquite, Texas: Armed Student Shot by Police at Charter School
Three police officers fired at the 16-year-old Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy student after he refused to put down his weapon.
Photo: MQ-Illustrations - stock.adobe.com
MESQUITE, Texas — A 16-year-old boy who brought a gun into a Dallas-area charter school is recovering after he was shot at by responding officers.
Mesquite Police were dispatched to the Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy just before 9 a.m. Monday after an administrator called to report a student in an office with a firearm, according to NBCDFW. Other administrators spoke with the student to try and calm him down but said he would not put down the gun.
When officers arrived, they reportedly gave him verbal commands to surrender the weapon but he did not comply. At some point during negotiations, three officers fired at the suspect. Mesquite Police confirmed to WFAA that 19 shots were fired by the officers and that there was no initial indication that the suspect fired at the officers. No one else was injured.
The three officers involved were an eight-year veteran, a five-year veteran, and an officer-in-training with multiple years of service from another agency. An armed school security officer was on campus at the time but was not involved in the incident.
The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment where he is in stable condition. It is unclear whether he was injured from bullets or shrapnel. He will be transferred to the Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center.
Superintendent Shubham Pandey confirmed the suspect was a student at the school and praised staff and officers for their response.
“We have rigorous safety protocols in place to handle such incidents effectively and efficiently to ensure the well-being of our school community,” he said. “Today, those procedures were tested, and they worked as intended.”
The school was placed in lockdown during the incident. Students were evacuated class-by-class to a nearby church where they were reunited with their families several hours later. Classes were delayed by an hour but resumed on Tuesday. Counseling services were made available for students and staff.
In a message sent to parents Monday night, school leaders said additional security measures would be put in place, including more surveillance cameras and metal detectors at key entry points. Students are already required to use clear or mesh backpacks. Entry systems will also be upgraded to ensure all access points are monitored, and a community meeting will be held soon.
“We will take appropriate measures in response to this incident, including reviewing and, if necessary, strengthening our security procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future,” Pandey said.
The Mesquite Police Criminal Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Unit are investigating the incident, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office will conduct an independent investigation.
If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
