DALLAS, TX — Four students were injured when gunfire erupted at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a massive emergency response and school lockdown. The suspect, identified as 17-year-old Tracy Haynes Jr., surrendered to authorities Tuesday evening and has been charged with aggravated assault mass shooting, a first-degree felony. According to police, Haynes entered the school through an unsecured door opened by another student shortly after 1 p.m., before walking down a hallway and opening fire on several male students.
The shooting marks the second violent incident at the school in just over a year, raising serious questions about campus security despite enhanced safety measures implemented after last year's shooting.
The Shooting and Immediate Response
Dallas police responded to reports of gunfire at the southeast Dallas campus located at 5500 Langdon Road just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. One student told CBS News Texas that she heard seven gunshots during the incident.
"I heard like five shots go off. It was right next to my classroom," said Deliyah Martin, a junior at the high school. "They told me, 'Get down, turn the lights off.' My teacher locked the door, did all the procedures that they were supposed to do, and we just sat there," she told CBS News Texas.
Another student, Patrick Campos, described the chaotic scene to NBC News: "I turned around, all I heard was seven gunshots. I grabbed a teacher and ran in the room. Running, everybody was running."
By approximately 2:20 p.m., authorities confirmed there was no longer an active threat and that the school campus had been secured. All students were safely evacuated to Eagle Stadium adjacent to the campus and reunited with their families.
The Suspect and Investigation
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by multiple news outlets, surveillance footage captured an unidentified student letting Haynes into the building through an unsecured door at approximately 1:03 p.m. The affidavit states that Haynes walked down a hallway toward several male students and began "indiscriminately shooting," striking several people.
"Police said Haynes then walked toward another student and appeared to 'take a point-blank shot,'" NBC 5 reported.
Hours after the shooting, with the suspect still at large, Dallas ISD Assistant Chief of Police Christina Smith confirmed during a news conference that they had identified the shooter but had not yet apprehended him. Later that evening, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Haynes turned himself in at the Dallas County Jail with assistance from Urban Specialists. This community group advocates against violence, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Haynes has been charged with aggravated assault and mass shooting and is being held on a $600,000 bond. Dallas police explained that the aggravated assault charge was elevated to a mass shooting classification because four or more people were injured in the incident.
"At the conclusion of my review and based on the totality of the circumstance, I believe Tracy Denard Haynes Jr. committed the offense of Texas Penal Code 22.02 (b) 4 Aggravated Assault Mass Shooting-1st degree felony, when Haynes Jr. intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly attempted to cause serious bodily injury and or death to students attending WHHS and during the commission of the offense used and exhibited a deadly weapon," a DPS special agent wrote in the affidavit, according to FOX 4 Dallas.
Authorities have not yet disclosed a motive for the shooting or clarified whether Haynes was a student at Wilmer-Hutchins High School.
Security Failures and Questions
The shooting has raised serious questions about security protocols at the school, particularly since this is the second shooting incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in just over a year. In April 2024, another student was shot in the leg in a classroom, prompting the implementation of enhanced security measures, including metal detectors and a clear backpack policy.
During Tuesday's news conference, Dallas ISD Assistant Chief of Police Christina Smith addressed concerns about how the weapon made it onto campus despite these security measures.
"We do know that the gun did not come through during regular intake time," Smith said. "So, it was not a failure of our staff, our protocols, or the machinery that we have."
The arrest affidavit revealed that Haynes was able to enter the building because another student opened an unsecured door for him, bypassing the metal detectors and security screening that students typically undergo upon arrival.
Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins confirmed this security breach, stating that someone "opened the door" to the suspect, according to FOX News.
This incident highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining school security, even with advanced safety protocols. The Texas Tribune noted that after last year's shooting, "the district was criticized in the weeks following for allowing the gun to enter the school despite the security measures in place."
Impact on Students and Families
The shooting has deeply affected the Wilmer-Hutchins community, with many parents expressing concerns about their children's safety at school.
"Honestly, I'm afraid my daughter will not even go back to that school because I don't feel like she's safe there," said Tamika Martin, mother of student Deliyah Martin, to CBS News Texas.
Another parent, Shauna Williams, who has two students at the school, told FOX 4: "I'm thinking about taking them and putting them in homeschool. I can't keep going through this as a parent. I'm telling you. It's very frightening to think about losing your child, your kids. This is terrible."
In response to the trauma experienced by students and staff, Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde announced that classes at Wilmer-Hutchins High School would be canceled for the remainder of the week. The district will provide mental health clinicians and counselors to assist anyone discussing the incident.
"Today, as we all know, the unthinkable has happened," Elizalde said during a news briefing. "And quite frankly, this is just becoming too familiar, and it should not be familiar."
Official Responses and Reactions
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement condemning the violence and offering support to the school district.
"Our hearts go out to the victims of this senseless act of violence at Wilmer-Hutchins High School," Abbott said. "I spoke with Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde and Dallas ISD Chief Albert Martinez. I offered to support the school district families, students, and staff and to provide law enforcement with the tools they need to arrest the criminals involved and bring them to justice."
The governor also highlighted his administration's commitment to school safety funding: "Since I've been Governor, Texas has provided over $3 billion in school safety funding. This session, I am seeking an additional $500 million to safeguard schools across the state further."
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson described the shooting as "deeply troubling" and emphasized that "schools should never be places of violence," according to FOX 4.
Superintendent Elizalde expressed her frustration with the recurring nature of school shootings, stating during the news conference: "This is becoming far too familiar, and it should not be."
The Broader Context: School Shootings in America
The incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School occurred against the backdrop of ongoing concerns about gun violence in American schools. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there have been over 200 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in the United States since the beginning of 2024, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
The shooting also comes almost three years after the devastating mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were killed in May 2022. That tragedy prompted calls for stricter gun control measures and enhanced school security protocols across the state.
Critics have challenged Governor Abbott's approach to gun violence prevention, particularly his resistance to raising the minimum age for purchasing military-style rifles to 21, despite the weapon used in the Uvalde shooting being legally acquired by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos.
During a debate in September 2022, Abbott stated: "We want to put an end to school shootings, but we cannot achieve that through empty promises. We need to address the underlying issues afflicting our communities, particularly the mental health challenges that lead to these tragic events," as reported by USA Today.
Community Response and Support
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Dallas community has rallied to support the victims and their families. Urban Specialists, the community organization that helped Haynes turn himself in, is one of several local groups working to address violence in schools and communities.
Sergio Campos, a Wilmer City Council member and parent who was on campus at the time of the shooting for a meeting with his child's teacher, witnessed the immediate aftermath of the violence.
"The kids were just running out, all of them, just hundreds of kids running out," Campos told FOX 4. He reported hearing about seven gunshots and seeing victims being carried outside, including one with an apparent leg injury.
Security Measures and Prevention
As the investigation continues, attention will likely focus on how to prevent similar incidents. The fact that this shooting occurred despite enhanced security measures implemented after last year's incident raises important questions about the effectiveness of current approaches to school safety.
Experts suggest that comprehensive school safety requires multiple layers of protection, including physical security measures, mental health resources, threat assessment protocols, and community engagement. The incident at Wilmer-Hutchins highlights particular vulnerabilities related to secondary entry points and the importance of ensuring all doors remain secure throughout the school day.
Dallas ISD officials have not yet announced what additional security measures might be implemented when students return to Wilmer-Hutchins High School next week. Still, the district has confirmed that extra officers will be stationed at other district schools.
As the community begins to heal from this traumatic event, the focus will remain on supporting the victims in their recovery, ensuring the safety of all students when they return to school, and addressing the underlying factors that contribute to school violence.
The Victims' Recovery
According to Dallas Fire-Rescue, as of Wednesday morning, two of the shooting victims had been discharged from the hospital. At the same time, the other two remained under observation after being treated for their injuries. All four victims are expected to make full recoveries.
Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins confirmed that all the victims are expected to recover, though one remains in serious condition. While authorities have not released the identities of the victims out of respect for their privacy, sources told FOX 4 that at least one 17-year-old male student was shot in the lower leg.
In addition to the four students directly injured in the shooting, a fifth student-a 14-year-old girl—was taken to the hospital about an hour after the incident for anxiety-related symptoms, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue.
A Community Seeking Answers and Healing
As the Wilmer-Hutchins High School community grapples with the second shooting on its campus in just over a year, students, parents, educators, and officials are left searching for answers and solutions to prevent such violence in the future.
The incident has reignited discussions about school safety, gun access, and the psychological toll of school violence on young people. While physical security measures like metal detectors and clear backpacks are essential to school safety plans, this shooting demonstrates that such measures alone cannot guarantee protection when protocols are bypassed or circumvented.
Moving forward, the focus will likely be on a more comprehensive approach to school safety that addresses physical security, mental health support, conflict resolution, and community engagement. As students prepare to return to Wilmer-Hutchins High School eventually, the priority will be ensuring they feel safe, supported, and able to focus on their education without fear.
In the words of Superintendent Elizalde, the familiarity of school shootings "should not be" the norm. The challenge now facing Dallas ISD and communities across the nation is how to transform that sentiment into practical action that truly protects students and staff from the threat of gun violence.