Dallas

17-year-old brought revolver to Dallas high school where he shot student in leg: warrant

One student was injured and transported to a hospital after “an active shooter” incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas on Friday morning, April 12, 2024, authorities said. Police say a suspect is in custody.
One student was injured and transported to a hospital after “an active shooter” incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas on Friday morning, April 12, 2024, authorities said. Police say a suspect is in custody. Courtesy: WFAA-TV

A 17-year-old male student brought a .38 revolver and shot another student at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas on Friday, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by media outlets.

Ja’Kerian Rhodes-Ewing, 17, is being charged, as an adult, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place, according to jail records.

After the student was shot in the leg, a teacher told Rhodes-Ewing to leave the classroom and the building “to prevent further harm to the victim and others,” according to the arrest warrant obtained by KTVT.

The teacher in the classroom “helped us avoid additional tragedy,” Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said at a news conference Friday afternoon

Rhodes-Ewing fled from the campus and was later found on Langdon Road, near the Wilmer-Hutchins Athletic Stadium, according to KTVT. Police found the revolver in a semi-wooded area nearby.

The affidavit says Rhodes-Ewing “intentionally and knowingly brought a 38-revolver handgun in a prohibited place and intentionally and knowingly shot the victim one time in his left leg, causing serious bodily injury,” KDFW reported.

The injured student, whose name was not released, is expected to survive, according to Elizalde. Police confirmed the suspect and the victim know each other.

A Dallas ISD trustee was hosting a community meeting Tuesday night for parents to discuss concerns regarding Friday’s shooting.

About 50 students staged a walkout Monday before returning to the campus the same day, KTVT reported.

Dallas ISD police said their investigation would include looking into how the shooter got a gun into the building. The school has metal detectors and the district requires students to carry clear backpacks, officials said.

This story was originally published April 16, 2024 at 8:39 PM.

Nicole Lopez
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Nicole Lopez was a breaking news reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 2023 to 2024.
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