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Two Teenagers Shot to Death in Dallas, Houston
School-Related Gun Deaths Mar 2020’s Start
The new year had barely begun when shootings on school property in two different ISDs resulted in the deaths of two teenagers.

An 18-year-old died Jan. 19 from wounds suffered after a fight broke out during a Jan. 11 basketball game between two Dallas ISD high schools in a district field house. A DISD police officer was grazed by a bullet fragment, but did not sustain life threatening injuries. A 15-year-old’s initial charge of aggravated assault was later upgraded to murder.

The more than 600 people at the game quickly disbursed and/or took cover upon hearing the gunfire. The interrupted basketball game resumed, at a later date, where it left off, with only parents and students of the schools involved allowed to attend.

Police said the shooting did not appear to be gang related.

Long-Time “Truce” Broken
DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said at a news conference that the violence at the basketball game signaled a long-held “truce” has been broken in the city that school sporting events and other extracurricular activities were off-limits as venues for settling feuds.

“That truce is now over because it spilled over to our campus which makes this even more difficult,” Hinojosa told reporters.

Meanwhile, a male 19-year-old Houston ISD Bellaire High School student was reportedly shot and killed by a 16-year-old male student inside a JROTC storage room at the school on Jan. 14.

“Unintentional”
Investigators labeled the shooting as “unintentional” and said the alleged shooter and the victim were good friends, and that the shooter had taken the gun (a .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol) to school to show it off to friends.

The alleged shooter was charged with manslaughter and could possibly face a charge of unlawfully possessing a weapon at school.

Another JROTC student who was also present when the shooting occurred was arrested, but was later released with no charges filed.

DISD and HISD immediately implemented additional security measures as a result of the incidents.