At least four people were injured Wednesday (October 6) in a school shooting that took place at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas.
Local, state and federal officials quickly assembled outside of the school to investigate and evacuate students and faculty.
Authorities determined that the suspected shooter, 18-year-old Timothy Simpkins, a student who attends the school, had fled the scene after the shooting, prompting a citywide search.
Simpkins turned himself into police Wednesday afternoon without incident. He's currently being held on a $75,000 bond and faces multiple charges including three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Now, his family is speaking out saying he had been repeatedly bullied at the school.
"He was scared. He was afraid. There's a video that's all out on social media the show he was being attacked," Carrol Harrison, a spokesperson for the Simpkins family said at a news conference Thursday (October 7).
"It wasn't just one person that would attack and bully him, and taking his money, harassing him due to the fact that he had more things than maybe others."
Harrison added that the family is not justifying the 18-year-old's actions, and said what he did was not right, and that it takes everyone to stand together about bullying.
"We have to take a look at the fact that bullying is real, and it takes us all...We ask as a family for forgiveness of any type of hurt," Harrison said.
Arlington Police responded to shots fired at the Timberview High School around 9:15 a.m. local time.
Law enforcement says it has not confirmed what led up to the shooting, but they have received reports that a student-involved confrontation led up to the shooting, CNN reported.
"The incident occurred in a classroom on the second floor of the school," police said in a statement. "Investigators believe a physical fight broke out just prior to the shooting."
Arlington assistant police chief Kevin Kolbye said Wednesday (October 6) the shooting was not random.
Two of the four victims had gunshot wounds. One victim, a 15-year-old boy is recovering from surgery, according to WFAA. The other three victims were expected to be ok.
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