Parents waited hours outside of Mesquite charter school following shooting

Students at Oates Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy in Mesquite were the first to alert their parents that something was wrong.

“I was really scared. I had to call my mom just in case,” Daneth Castañón said. Castañón said she was in the classroom next to where the shooting occurred.

Talitha Conner received a text message from her daughter, a senior at the charter school.

“She said they were on lockdown,” Conner said. “She heard the SWAT team pass by the classroom or wherever she was. And said (there’s an) active shooter, but he hasn't been detained.”

Other parents said they relied on emergency alerts to their cell phones from the school for updates.

“We got a notification they were on lockdown, but it was on Facebook where my friend found out they were releasing them,” Rachel Easterly said. Easterly’s son, Gage Easterly, did not have a cell phone.

“It was pretty scary,” Gage said.

According to Mesquite Police, a school administrator reported there was a student in an office with a firearm in his hands. The student allegedly refused to put down the weapon.

“The principal, she was yelling,” Castañón said. “It was right outside our classroom. She started yelling to put it down.”

Officers arrived shortly after and negotiated with the armed student. In a statement, Mesquite Police confirmed three officers fired their weapons.

“They said it was like six gunshots, but I saw like a lot of shells (on) the floor,” Castañón said. “It wasn't just six. They were all scattered around.”

Nearby the school at Living Truth Baptist Church, parents waited for hours to be reunited with their children.

“Right now, I’m just kind of in mom mode, wanting to get him home,” Rachel said.

School officials confirmed classes will be held as normal for the rest of the week. Counseling services will be provided to students and staff. However, parents wonder if it is in their child's best interest to return to class.

“I think this week we won't be back because it takes time to process,” Cooper said.

“They've got to do something about these guns. And i know it cost a lot of money for metal detectors, but we have to do whatever it takes to keep these babies safe… The kids just come in at free will. They’re not being patted down because you can’t do that. How do you keep them safe?”