Defense attorney of Arlington school shooter: “Please hold off on judging this young man”
On Monday, March 20th, at 6:55 am local time, a 15-year-old fired into a group of students standing outside of Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas. The still unnamed suspect fled the scene but was later apprehended by police. One male student was directly hit, while a female student suffered facial injuries from shrapnel. Sadly, the male student, 16-year-old Jashawn Poirier, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
The shooter fled the scene and was later apprehended by police minutes later. Police recovered the gun used in the shooting. I’ve seen the gun referred to as both a long gun and a shotgun. So far, no motive for the shooting has been revealed, although it’s believed to have been a targeted shooting. It’s also not been made clear where the shooter obtained the gun, but I have a pretty good guess. Police discovered shotgun shells in the shooter’s backpack that matched the ones at the scene. More shells were found at the shooter’s home.
The school was only closed for the day following the shooting, and students returned that Wednesday. I think that goes a long way in showing how desensitized we’ve become to school shootings. Back in the early 2000s, schools would close down for weeks or months to let students and faculty process what happened. Not anymore it seems, you get one day. Mind the crime scene tape as you go to class. Yeah, there will be counselors, but only on Wednesday. Get fucked if you need additional mental help.
Arlington Chief of Police Al Jones said the following during a press conference…
“We need our community’s help to ensure that guns do not end up on school campuses. We need gun owners to step up, to be responsible and ensure that they are properly securing their firearms so kids don’t have access to them. That means using gun safes, gun locks and not leaving the guns unsecured in cars or other places where kids can get them.”
Considering this coming from a Texas cop, it’s a nice change to hear some sensible advice that’s not just the typical NRA talking points.
Just as an aside, did you know that guns are the leading cause of death in children in America? Did you also know that most guns stolen are taken out of parked cars? Those aren’t exactly the actions of a well regulated militia now, are they?
In the shooter’s first court appearance, his defense attorney told the media there is more to the story than what appears on the surface.
“We ask that everyone hold off on judging this young man until we have an opportunity to share his story and what we have learned and will learn about him,” said Lisa Herrick, the suspect’s defense attorney.
What could his story possibly be that warrants a shotgun execution of a 16-year-old, who, by all accounts, was described as a friendly, quiet kid? I sense a bullying defense coming on, which, for the record, has never resulted in an acquittal for any living school shooter. I’m also compelled to mention that the trope of the bullied school shooter is largely a myth.
One student who was interviewed by the Dallas Morning News said she never believed it “would happen to us.” I’m not going to give this kid any crap for saying this, but I do wonder if news outlets look for that person who would say this. There’s no city, town, or borough that is immune from this kind of violence. As long as guns are readily available, you can plan out the most secure school known to man, and it still won’t be enough. You never know just how well students are or aren’t protected until the unspeakable happens. There’s an old saying that goes, “When men make plans, God laughs.”
Let’s not forget that this is Texas we’re talking about. The Lone Star State has been the site of some of the country’s worst shootings. Just off the top of my head, I can think of the bell tower shooting at the University of Texas, Santa Fe High School, and Uvalde. So don’t think it can never happen here, especially if you live in Texas. With its lax gun laws, it’s probably more likely to happen there.
Jashawn’s family have a GoFundMe set up that’s still ongoing if you’d like to donate.
(Sources)
- Student killed, another injured in shooting at Lamar High School; suspect in custody
- 1 dead, 1 hurt in Texas school shooting; suspect arrested
- Arlington Lamar High School shooting leaves 1 student dead, 1 injured; suspect in custody
- Student Killed in Shooting at Lamar HS; Classmate Charged With Capital Murder
- 16-year-old killed in shooting at Lamar High School in Arlington identified; suspect attends hearing
- Arlington Lamar High School students return to class days after deadly shooting
- ‘I’m in disbelief’: Mother of 16-year-old killed in shooting at Lamar High School in Arlington speaks out
- Arlington Lamar High School shooting suspect appears in court
