High school student ‘shot dead by bully’ he stopped from picking on fellow teen
A HIGH school student was shot dead by a bully he stopped from picking on another teenager days before, cops say.
Texas teen Samuel Reynolds, 16, was gunned down outside his apartment complex on Friday for standing up to a bully.
CBS DFW reports a teenage suspect is currently in police custody and cops confirmed Samuel knew his alleged killer.
Samuel, who attended Arlington High School, was rushed to hospital yesterday where he was later pronounced dead.
Local police say the brave 10th grader was targeted because he saw another student being assaulted and intervened.
Days later, a 15-year-old middle school student allegedly accosted Samuel in the hallway of the Pinewoods Apartments.
Security cameras recorded the 15-year-old pulling out a .40 caliber gun and fatally shooting Samuel.
TEEN SUSPECT
The young suspect was apprehended and arrested after cops watched the disturbing footage.
Arlington officers are angry the suspect had access to a firearm and say the person responsible will be prosecuted
“That’s something we want an answer for,” said Police Officer Christopher Cook.
“We are sick and tired of children in our community coming in contact with firearms and possessing them and using them.”
‘SENSELESS ACT’
Likewise, Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson was saddened and frustrated by the needless execution.
“This senseless act of gun violence has no place in society and our hometown community,” Johnson said on Twitter.
“This was an emotionally tough case for responding officers, investigators and medics.
“We will direct our attention to how a young teen suspect accessed a firearm used in the offense.”
He said investigators would be looking into how the teen shooter got their hands on the “firearm used in the offense.”
Every three hours, someone in Texas is killed as a result of gun violence, according to San Francisco-based Giffords Law Center.
Their data indicates from 2013 to 2017, 3,137 people under the age of 25 were killed with a gun in the state.
A COMMUNITY IN MOURNING
A candlelight vigil was held last night outside his school as the close knit Arlington community paid tribute to his memory.
“We are having a candlelight vigil for Sam,” his mother, Madison Fletcher, wrote on Facebook about her only child.
“Anyone who would like to come and be surrounded by his friends and loved ones is more than welcome. We all need to be surrounded by love.”
A GoFundMe page set up to help with funeral expenses described Samuel as a popular, well-liked student who excelled at Soccer.
In the description, his cousin Courtney Fletcher wrote: “Madison and Sam had a stronger bond then you could ever imagine.
“It has always been the two of them, the best of friends. Madison raised Sam to be the most respectful, kind heated person you’ve ever meet
“This is an absolute tragedy to our Aunt, and family,” Fletcher concluded, adding a benefit would be organized in his name.
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On Friday, grief counselors were on hand for students and staff at Arlington High in the wake of the tragedy.
Speaking about the loss of his friend Samuel, Christian Vasquez said “I’m really sad about him.”
“When I found out about it I was gonna cry,” Vasquez said. “He was one of my favorite friends actually.”
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