Parents say Paschal High School is safe, urge lawmakers to provide more support to students
Parents and students at Paschal High School attending a basketball game at the school on Saturday said they were surprised by the Friday shooting at a Whataburger across the street from campus but aren’t worried about it happening again.
A 16-year-old boy was killed and a 17-year-old girl was seriously injured, according to police. The two victims and suspected shooter were all students at Paschal High School. Authorities have not released their names.
Abby Voigt, a parent who went to the basketball game on Saturday, said Paschal has always felt safe.
“This is a catastrophic loss, and it’s heartbreaking,” she said.
Voigt said she would like to see more emphasis put on mental health, but feels the school district takes safety seriously.
Two freshmen who were at the game said they were shocked to hear about the shooting. They’d seen the victims in the hall, but didn’t know them well.
“Paschal feels like a safe school most of the time,” one student said.
Other parents said the shooting worried them, but they mostly felt like their children were safe and officials at the school do a good job of keeping it that way.
Ken Kuhl, the president of the Fort Worth ISD Council of PTAs, said in a Facebook post that “the loss of a child is a uniquely devastating event” that “creates a hole in our future.”
He said he believes the school district works diligently to keep schools and students safe but that limited access to mental health support will make that job harder.
“Although this shooting was near a Fort Worth ISD school, it didn’t happen inside one,” Kuhl wrote. “I think some of our kids struggle with safety issues in the communities surrounding their schools as well ... in between home and school. Our city support services need to keep our kids safe between home and the classroom.”
He urged parents to talk to city leaders and state lawmakers and urge them to fund protection and emotional support for children inside and out of the classroom.
Fort Worth police had not announced an arrest in the shooting as of Sunday.
The shooting happened in front of the Whataburger restaurant at 2401 W. Berry St. just after 4 p.m., about 15 minutes after the school dismissed students. Both victims were taken by ambulance to a hospital, where the male student died.
Police Chief Neil Noakes said that the incident began as an argument among teens who knew each other that turned into a fight before one started shooting.
Noakes said that parents can help prevent shootings by responsibly storing guns and by making sure their children don’t have access. “We’ve got some amazing officers who work every day ... but we can’t do it alone,” he said. “If your child has a weapon, call us for help. Take the gun away.”
Noakes said the city has seen an increase in shootings among teens and young adults because of a lack of conflict-resolution skills. “It seems these days with some very young people ... conflict resolution involves a gun,” he said. “You have so much more to live for and so does anybody you may have conflict with.”
He also urged the shooter to turn himself in. “You made a horrible mistake,” Noakes said in a message to the shooter. “Turn yourself in. Don’t make this any worse.”
The Fort Worth school district said immediately after the shooting, Paschal locked down any students and staff who were still on campus.
“Fort Worth ISD continues to collaborate with the Fort Worth Police Department in this ongoing investigation,” the district’s statement said. “Monday, the Fort Worth ISD will have support staff available for Paschal students and staff at the campus.”
This story was originally published January 21, 2023 at 8:38 PM.