Arlington

Accused Lamar High Gunman to Remain Held in Juvenile Detention Center

A motive for the March 20 shooting has not been shared by police

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A student accused of capital murder in the fatal shooting of a classmate outside of Arlington Lamar High School last month will remain in juvenile custody.

The student, who has not been named due to his age, was at a detention hearing Friday where District Judge Alex Kim decided he should continue to remain in custody. At a hearing earlier this month, Kim ordered the 15-year-old shooting suspect to remain in juvenile custody and undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Just over a month ago, police said 16-year-old Ja'Shawn James Poirier was sitting near some steps outside of the high school on the morning of March 20 when a classmate approached him with a gun and opened fire. Poirier was taken by ground ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth where he died at about 8:40 a.m.

Arlington Police later confirmed to NBC 5 that the accused shooter was carrying a shotgun and that shells were found in his backpack when he was taken into custody.

A juvenile girl who was near Poirier at the time of the shooting was grazed by the shot or flying debris. She was treated and released from the hospital that day.

A motive for the shooting has not yet been shared by police.

If convicted of capital murder, a juvenile can be sentenced to a maximum of 40 years in prison, according to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

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