Arlington

Teen suspect, victim identified in fatal shooting at Arlington's Bowie High School

Both the victim and the suspect in Wednesday's fatal shooting were students at the high school, district officials say

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A 17-year-old police say gunned down a classmate outside Arlington's Bowie High School on Wednesday afternoon has been identified.

In a statement Thursday morning, Arlington police said 17-year-old Julian Howard had been arrested and booked into the Arlington City Jail on a murder charge in connection with the death of 18-year-old Etavion Barnes.

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According to the Arlington ISD, both Barns and Howard were students at the high school. While police have not revealed a motive for the shooting, they said Thursday morning they believe Howard specifically targeted Barnes.

Arlington police said Howard was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon and refused to speak with investigators without an attorney. According to jail records, Howard remains in custody and a bond amount for the murder charge has not been set. It's unclear if Howard has obtained a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

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Police officials said school resource officers at the high school responded to reports of gunfire at about 3 p.m. and found a male student lying on the ground outside near a portable building. Video obtained by NBC 5 showed police officers providing CPR to the victim. First responders said the victim had been shot up to six times and was unresponsive.

Julian Howard, inset, is accused of murder after a fatal shooting outside Arlington's Bowie High School on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
NBC 5 News
Julian Howard, inset, is accused of murder after a fatal shooting outside Arlington's Bowie High School on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Barnes was taken by ambulance to Medical City Arlington where, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, he was pronounced dead at 3:27 p.m.

Police said Howard was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon and that when he was arrested he was unarmed and was in possession of a THC cartridge. Police said they have not yet located the murder weapon or determined how the suspect may have obtained a gun.

The investigation into the murder is ongoing, police said.

The Arlington ISD canceled classes at Bowie High School on Thursday and Friday and said counselors will be available to support staff and students "for as long as it takes." Counselors will be available at the school on Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and then again next week. The school will be open from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Friday for anyone who needs to retrieve essential items left on campus. Classes will resume on Monday, April 29.

In response to the violence, St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church is offering a public service at the church on Friday at 6:30 p.m. where those affected by violence can gather to mourn and grieve their loss through meditation and prayer.

Erica Sims was one of a flock of parents who rushed to the reunification center after the fatal shooting on campus. She said her daughter knows the alleged shooter, Julian Howard. She told NBC 5 her daughter also knows the victim’s girlfriend, and it’s taking an emotional toll.

“My daughter is taking it really hard. She’s naturally quiet but around me she talks a lot, and it’s just whispers,” Sims said. “We’re going to have to do some sort of counseling. She’s going to need it. Family is checking in on her friends are checking in on her, but it’s going to be therapy and a lot of prayer.”

The Dallas FBI has also offered its resources on the case, releasing a statement that reads in part:

“Ultimately, we all want to divert from violent outcomes and get resources directly to the point of need – including the use of multidisciplinary tools like the FBI’s Threat Assessment and Threat Management approach or Victim Services.” 

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