Timothy Simpkins, the accused Arlington, Texas, school shooter, has been released on $75,000 bond.
Videos captured the shooting, in which four people were wounded, according to a police press conference. Police named the suspect, who initially fled the scene, as Simpkins, 18. Video emerged showing Simpkins posting bond. According to CBS Local, Simpkins left the jail wearing a baseball cap and blue T-shirt.
The school shooting occurred within the Mansfield Independent School District on October 6, 2021 at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas, which is near Dallas. His full name is Timothy George Simpkins.
Here’s what you need to know:
Simpkins Didn’t Talk to Reporters as He Walked Free
Fox 4 reported that Simpkins remained quiet as he walked free out of the Tarrant County jail the day after the school shooting.
The shooting left two teachers and two students wounded, including a 15-year-old boy who suffered critical injuries. According to Fox4, Simpkins’ family has since claimed he was bullied.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Simpkins’ family “gathered in a prayer circle” before his release.
Simpkins is no longer listed in the Tarrant County Jail. He had initially surrendered to police with his attorney, according to NBC. He is accused of pulling out a gun and shooting after a fight broke out between students, police say.
Simpkins’ Bail Was Set at $75,000 & He Was Placed on House Arrest
The family of Timothy George Simpkins is in a prayer circle outside of Tarrant County Correction Center. @startelegram
The Dallas Morning News reported that Simpkins was released on $75,000 bail and faces three charges of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.
Heavy contacted the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department to get additional information.
The Dallas Morning News reported that, as conditions of bond, Simpkins will be on house arrest, can’t possess a firearm, and has to stay $1,000 feet away from the school. He is not allowed to have contact with the victims.
Carol Harrison Lafayette, a family member, said, “He was robbed. It was recorded. It happened not just once, it happened twice. He was scared, he was afraid,” according to the Dallas Morning News.
Tameka Grady wrote on Facebook that she was sharing the words of Simpkins’ mother and grandmother. She wrote:
If the photo you see on your screen right now were the first image you saw of my son, what type of child would you say that he was? Would you be able to believe that he was a polite and kind young man who comes from a 2 parent home? Would you believe that he was a brilliant young man who is a straight-A student, who until just recently attended private school, and who has a impressive GPA? Would you believe that he has dreams of attending college and becoming a Engineer?
The irony is that all of these things are true of Timothy Simpkins, but it only took the media 1 day and 1 questionable photograph to convince the country that my son was a menace to our society and nothing could be further from the truth.
Timothy has always been a kind and thoughtful child who loves to learn. Because he spends so much time focusing on his studies, most of his relatives call him the “little nerd” of the family. He has never been known to bother anyone and would do anything to help someone in need.
From the beginning of this school year, Timothy has been bullied at school. He has been beaten, taunted, and harassed on a daily basis. Recently he was ambushed by a group of young males outside of school, stripped of his clothing in front of a crowd of onlookers, and robbed of his money and possessions. He has been humiliated and stripped of his dignity on more than one occasion which led to him being fearful to go to school or even leave our home without an adult. All of these occurrences were brought to the attention of the Arlington school system and absolutely nothing was done to protect my son.
He became depressed and some days did not even want to get out of bed. I am certain that he was fearful for his safety and felt that he had no support from those in authority whose responsibility it was to protect him. Today I am appealing to you as a mother who knows her son. Not the picture that the media has painted of him, but the child I and his grandparents raised him to be after his father’s death. Many of you have seen the video of the brutal beating Timmothy received – he never even returned a blow- he simply balled up and covered his head.
But the backstory that you don’t know is that his father was brutally beaten to death and this fact definitely heightened Timmothy’s fear for his life not to mention that the young men responsible for beating and harassing him recently made threats to kill him so you see, my son was terrified and believed he would be murdered just like his father. I believe my son’s entire story should be heard and I am asking that you help me share it in an effort to balance the one-sided narrative that the media is broadcasting. Please know that I am not suggesting that taking a gun to school was the right choice to make, I am just saying that there is so much more to the story and all of the details should be known so that my son can be properly defended. We need your help to raise money for his defense. Any amount will be appreciated Please donate what you can to help me fight for my son’s future.
The post included information for a Cash App.
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