Lamar High School Shooting: One Dead, One Injured, Suspect Arrested

On Monday, March 20, 2023, at approximately 6:56 a.m., the Arlington Police Department responded to the Lamar High School campus at 1400 W. Lamar Boulevard to investigate a reported shooting that occurred just outside the school building.

When officers arrived on scene, they located a male student with an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased from his injuries.

A female student who was in the area was grazed by the gunfire and suffered non-life threatening injuries. She was transported to the hospital by an adult who was nearby.

Witnesses were able to provide 911 dispatch with a description of the suspected shooter. As officers were responding to the scene, they located a juvenile male who matched that description. The officers surrounded him and took him into custody without incident. The weapon investigators believe was used in the shooting was recovered nearby.

Because the suspect is a juvenile, the department is unable to release his name. He has been charged with one count of Capital Murder and is currently being held at the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center. Additional charges are pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

The suspect never entered the school building and ran from the campus immediately after firing the shots. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.

School was not yet in session when the shooting occurred.

“On behalf of the Arlington Police Department, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all the students and staff at Lamar High School,” said Chief of Police Al Jones. “We, as a community, cannot tolerate this kind of violence. We need gun owners to be responsible and to properly secure their firearms, so they don’t end up on our school campuses. We will continue to work in lock step with our partners at Arlington ISD to ensure our schools are safe spaces where students can learn.”

“Our thoughts are with the affected students, their families, and the entire Lamar High School community today in light of this unnecessary violence. We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Arlington Independent School District, and we pledge to continue working with school leaders across our city to ensure our students have a safe learning environment,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the deceased once next of kin have been notified.