Timberview High School Shooting: Police Say False Threats Against Schools Diverted Resources, Warns Arrests Will be Made

Police received false threats of schools attacks on social media, chief says

Police said they have received false threats of attacks on schools from young kids on social media.

Assistant Chief of Arlington Police Kevin Kolbye warned that these threats will be investigated.

Mansfield Police Chief Tracy Aaron said that police efforts have been diverted with false threats.

"If they are putting out threats on schools, they will be arrested and prosecuted," he said.

Police urged parents to look over their childrens' social media.

All students from Timberview High School evacuated, safe

All 1,700 students from Timberview High School have been evacuated from the school and taken to the reunification center, Arlington Police said.

"We're glad they are safe," Assistant Chief of Arlington Police Kevin Kolbye said.

After-school activities have been canceled and the lockout order at Arlington schools has been lifted. Police have increased security at all area schools.

All three victims taken to the hospital are expected to recover, Kolbye said.

One student who was in critical condition is out of surgery and in the ICU but is expected to recover. An adult male is in good condition and a teenage female who was possibly "grazed by a bullet" is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon, Kolbye said.

Suspect in custody, weapon recovered, police say

The suspect in the Timberview High School shooting is in custody, police said during a press conference.

Assistant Chief of Arlington Police Kevin Kolbye said Timothy George Simpkins turned himself in with an attorney.

Simpkins will be charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Kolbye said.

Kolbye added that a weapon was recovered on the street in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Grand Prairie Police Chief Daniel Scesney said it is not confirmed yet if the handgun recovered by police was the weapon used in the shooting at Timberview High School. Police are currently running tests.

One victim is "critical," two in good condition

Police confirm the status of the four victims injured in the Timberview shooting, with one in critical condition.

According to Tim Ciesco with the Arlington Police Department:

• A 25-year-old male is in good condition
• A teenage girl is in good condition and will be discharged from the hospital soon
• A 15-year-old male is in critical condition
• A fourth victim has already been treated

Two of the victims are said to have gunshot wounds, CBSDFW reported. Two of the victims transported to the hospital were students and one is an "older person" who may be a teacher, police said.

Parents still waiting for children to leave classrooms nearly 4 hours after shooting

Nearly four hours after Arlington police responded to the Timberview High School shooting, some parents are still waiting for their children to leave their classrooms.

A fleet of school buses arrived at the school and began transporting students to a reunification site at the Center of Performing Arts at 1110 W. Debbie Ln.

Dozens of those school buses still remain outside the school, and some parents told NBC 5 that their children have yet to board a bus.

Texas grieving for anyone harmed or affected by Timberview shooting, Abbott says

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that the state is grieving for all of the people harmed or affected by the shooting at Timberview High School Wednesday.

There were four victims in the shooting, three of whom were transported to receive treatment at a hospital. Abbott said that he had no information about any loss of life resulting from the injuries.

He also said that he was "confident" that the suspected shooter, Timothy Simpkins, will be located "very soon."

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also commented on the shooting, saying in a statement that "Texans are heartbroken and outraged" at the occurrence.

Video shows moment police responded to active shooter report at Timberview High School

Newsweek has obtained a video showing law enforcement responding to reports of an "active shooter situation" at Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas Wednesday.

Other schools in Timberview district locked down, classes still ongoing

All other schools in Mansfield ISD are remaining on lockout Wednesday "out of an abundance of caution" as police continue to investigate the shooting at Timberview High School, the district said in a statement.

The lockout, rather than lockdown, allows classes to resume normally inside the other schools, but no one is allowed to enter or leave.

The lockout will continue until the Mansfield ISD police department clears the other school campuses, the district said.

Cell phone blockers in use at Timberview High School

There were cell phone blockers in use at Timberview High School, police said during a press briefing Wednesday.

These devices are used to block signals to prevent students from using their cell phones during class.

However, the blockers made it difficult for students to send messages during the active shooter lockdown Wednesday.

During the press briefing, police also noted that there are no metal detectors at the school.

Officers visit home of shooting suspect Timothy George Simpkins as search for him underway

Police are visiting the home of Timothy George Simpkins, the suspect in the shooting at Timberview High School, as they investigate the incident that left four people injured.

Arlington Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye identified Simpkins, 18, as the suspect during a news conference and said that a search was underway for him.

It was not immediately clear if Simpkins went to his home after the shooting, but police said that he may also be driving a 2018 Silver Dodge Charger with the license plate PFY-6260.

Sen. Ted Cruz sends prayers to those impacted by Timberview shooting

Texas Senator Ted Cruz sent his prayers to those impacted by the shooting at Timberview High School.

"I know all of us are lifting up in prayer the students and the teachers and the first responders and the parents," Cruz said during a press conference. "There have been far too many of these in far too many schools."

He said he is "grateful for the courage and heroism of the first responders" and hopes that the victims "will come through and survive."

Cruz held a press conference Wednesday to discuss the "humanitarian crisis" on the U.S.-Mexico border. This comes as 10 Republican governors from various states meet Texas Governor Greg Abbott at the border.

Debunking social media rumors that video is from Timberview

A video showing the aftermath of a school shooting in Houston, Texas, did not come from Timberview High School despite social media claims it was taken at the Arlington school.

The viral video posted on TikTok by a student at YES Prep Southwest referred to another school shooting in Texas that took place last week.

In that shooting by a former student, just the school's principal, Eric Espinoza, was injured after being grazed on his back with a bullet.

Read more here.

Police searching for shooting suspect

Multiple police agencies are searching for the shooting suspect.

Timothy George Simpkins, an 18-year-old Black male is at large. It is not confirmed if Simpkins is a student.

Assistant Police Chief for Arlington Police Kevin Kolbye said the suspect is driving a 2018 silver Dodge Charger, license plate PFY6260.

Police said there was a fight between a student and another individual in a class and a gun was used.

The suspect is considered armed and dangerous. Police advise people to not approach the suspect and urge people to call 9-1-1 immediately if they spot the suspect.

4 victims confirmed in Timberview shooting, 3 taken to hospital

There were four victims in the Wednesday shooting at Timberview High School, Kevin Kolbye, the assistant police chief for Arlington Police, confirmed.

Three of the victims were taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The last, who had minor injuries, refused treatment, Kolbye said.

Kolbye said that he believes two of the victims were injured by gun shots, but did not know the severity of their injuries.

Three of the victims were students, and the other may have been a teacher, Kolbye said. One of them may have also been a pregnant woman who was treated at the scene, he added.

Buses arrive, student evacuation from Timberview begins

Buses arrived at Timberview High School to begin evacuating students after a shooting took place at the school Wednesday morning.

Mansfield ISD said in a statement that the school had been given the all clear and it planned to begin reuniting students with parents at the Center of Performing Arts at 1110 W. Debbie Ln.

Arlington Police said officers will be at the scene to aid the reunification process.

Parents are "scared," "worried" after reports of shooter at high school

Worried parents gathered outside of Timberview High School to get their children after an active shooter was reported.

"We're all scared, we're all worried, we're all sick," one parent said. "We're hoping there's that there's no casualties and that all of our babies can come out of that school okay."

Police told parents to go to the reunification center at the Performing Arts Center at 1110 W. Debbie Ln.

Gov. Greg Abbott in border crisis meeting while shooting investigated

As police investigated Wednesday's shooting at Timberview High School in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott entered a meeting with other Republican governors on the border crisis.

FOX 11 correspondent Bill Melugin tweeted pictures of Abbott with the other governors, all of whom are scheduled to hold a joint press conference Wednesday afternoon after a briefing from the Texas Department of Public Safety

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine are among those who joined Abbott at the meeting.

High school cleared, reunification center set up for parents

Timberview parents are told to gather at the Center of Performing Arts at 1110 W. Debbie Ln to meet their students.

Arlington Police said officers will be at the scene.

"Students will eventually be bused to that location after the school is completely secured," police said.

Timberview High Shcool has been cleared and reunification processes will begin soon, Mansfield ISD said in a statement.

"We are currently solidifying our reunification process so that parents/guardians can reunite with their students," the district said.

Arlington mayor says he knows of 2 injured during school shooting

Arlington Mayor Jim Ross told NBC 5 that he knew of two people being injured in the confirmed shooting at Timberview High School.

Arlington police have confirmed there are "multiple victims" in the shooting, but did not say how many, according to NBCDFW reporter Maria Guerrero.

Timberview parent tells local news the shooting followed a fight between students

A Timberview parent told CBSDFW that his children are safe in a locked classroom and awaiting more information.

He said that there were reports that students were fighting and one student pulled a gun out of his bag and "started shooting" people.

He also said that one person was seen coming out of the school on a medical gurney. There is no official confirmation on the status of victims.

There is no official word on what prompted the shooting or the status of the shooter. Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Police confirm shooting, are "doing methodical search" of school

The Arlington Police confirmed there was a shooting at Timberview High School. Multiple police agencies are on the scene.

Police said they are "doing a methodical search" of the building.

There is a media staging area at the Timberview High School softball field.

Multiple Gunshots Seemingly Heard in Video Taken By Student

Multiple gunshots were seemingly heard in a video taken by a student inside Timberview High School during the reported shooting Wednesday.

The short video showed students inside one of the school's classrooms, who then began hurriedly getting out of their seats as the shots rang out. One person was heard saying "oh my god."

Twitter user Nerissa Knight posted the video on her page.

Police tell local media there were "multiple victims" in Timberview shooting

Arlington police have confirmed there are "multiple victims" in the shooting at Timberview High School in Mansfield, Texas, according to NBCDFW reporter Maria Guerrero.

Guerrero said parents are instructed to go to the student nutrition center at 151 Mansfield Webb Road.