Student dies after shooting at Arlington Bowie High School in Texas; 17-year-old suspect in custody

Standing in front of the athletics center waiting for his granddaughter to show up, he experienced waves of emotion. Frustration and anger and fear to relief and thankfulness that she’s alive.

“I’m sad for the person who was shot,” he said. “I’m not glad for any of this. I’m frustrated. I’m angry.”

His granddaughter texted him updates throughout the experience. At one point she said she and other students were told to leave their belongings in the hallway and walk with their hands in the air to the library.

That was a good sign, he said. Walking with their hands in the air meant police were there and she was safe.

Then she told him she’d been loaded on a bus. When they were halfway there she texted him again.

Barrera said he’s reminded his daughter to breathe and to pray a prayer her grandmother taught her. He was in Garland when he got the call from his wife that there had been a shooting at their granddaughter’s school. He said he got to Arlington in what felt like just 20 minutes, still wearing his work uniform.

“I’ve always made her a promise that I will always protect her,” Barrera said. “If she’s ever in danger, I’ll be there. I don’t care if I have to fly. I’ll be there.”

Barrera got a little choked up as he talked about how he taught his granddaughter to ride a bike. Taught her how to fish. It was the relief coming, along with thoughts of “what if?”

She’s maintaining her composure, Barrera said, and he’s going to do his best to keep his, for her sake.

Barrera planned to let his granddaughter catch her breath, process her emotions and come to him if she wants. After a little while, he said they’ll sit down, talk about everything that happened and pray together.

When Amiah Barrera walked up to her grandfather, she clung to him. They both had tears in their eyes.

“Don’t let go,” she told him.

“Just breathe, your granddad’s here,” David Barrera said.

After they parted and Amiah Barrera, her father, mother and three little brothers started walking away, David Berrera said he’s glad it wasn’t worse.

“I’m glad this wasn’t another Uvalde.”

More Bowie High parents reacted on social media to news of Wednesday’s shooting.

“I’m just ready to hold my daughter,” one woman posted.

“My daughter texting like crazy! I’m so anxious we are not allowed near the school I’m close by trying ... (to) keep calm,” another woman said.

“My daughter is freaking out and has been texting me the whole time. She just sent me video of them doing CPR on a kid outside her class,” another person posted on social media.

“Why not be honest and say there was a shooting. Parents need to be informed!!! I had to find out from a text from my child,” a woman wrote in response to an initial post that police were at the school investigating an incident and dismissal wouldn’t happen on time.

Arlington police said in a post on X at 3:09 p.m. that officers were at the scene investigating the shooting. More details will be provided by police as they become available, the department said.

Classes at Bowie High normally dismiss at 3 p.m. Arlington ISD first posted an alert on its website about the lockdown at 2:56 p.m.

The shooting was reported about 2:50 p.m., according to a police call log.

Arlington ISD has canceled classes at Bowie High School for Thursday. “When students return to class, they will have the full support of our counseling team for as long as needed,” the district said.

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