Former Mansfield ISD teacher gets life in prison for 2023 shooting, assault of his family
A former Mansfield ISD teacher was sentenced to life in prison by a jury for a 2023 shooting that seriously injured his son and stepdaughter and the assault of his wife, the Tarrant County District Criminal Attorney’s Office said in a post Friday.
On May 16, 2023, 53-year-old Thomas Boykin was charged with three counts of aggravated assault/family violence with serious bodily injury, according to police records.
His sentence comes after he pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife following an argument on the evening of May 16, 2023. After the argument, he grabbed a gun and shot his 13-year-old son while the boy was asleep, according to police. Boykin also shot his 21-year-old stepdaughter as she pleaded him not to, according to the DA’s Office.
Boykin’s wife was able to get out of the house, and his wounded stepdaughter called 911, police said.
His son had three gunshot wounds and the stepdaughter was struck twice, according to the DA’s Office. They both needed surgery to treat their injuries, according to police.
Boykin was employed by the Mansfield ISD for 17 years, the district confirmed. The school district’s board of trustees voted on May 23, 2023, to terminate him from his position, about a week after he was immediately placed on leave.
According to public records and the Mansfield ISD website, Boykin’s wife was also employed by the district as an assistant principal.
“I thought I was gonna die,” the defendant’s son said in court when recalling the night of the shooting. “After what he did to me, I can’t imagine ever missing him.”
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 8:25 PM.
