MESQUITE, TX – Police officers shot a 16-year-old student at a suburban Dallas charter school during a tense standoff while he brandished a gun, according to Mesquite, Texas authorities. The student, whose identity remains undisclosed due to his age, is reportedly in stable condition at a hospital. Further details regarding his injuries are still unreported.
The incident unfolded in an office within the Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy’s middle and high school campus before 9 a.m. Local students were engaged in a normal school day, but the situation sent them into a panic as they were led outside. They were later reunited with their families at a nearby Baptist church.
Responding to an active shooter report, Mesquite police arrived on the scene, encountering the armed student alone in an office. During the course of the negotiation, three officers fired their weapons at the student. There were no reports of injuries to the police officers or any other students or staff.
The three officers involved in the shooting included an eight-year veteran, a five-year veteran, and an officer-in-training with past service in another department. Authorities have not yet released their identities.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office is independently reviewing the incident while police continue their investigation. There are no immediately announced charges in relation to the incident.
Praising the school staff’s swift response and the safety plan’s success, school district Superintendent Shubham Pandey commented that “those procedures were tested, and they worked as intended.” The school plans to reopen on Tuesday amidst an understanding of the traumatic experience students have undergone.