Here’s how Mansfield ISD will increase security after Timberview High School shooting
Mansfield ISD campuses will see heightened security measures following the shooting at Timberview High School on Oct. 6.
In a message sent to the Mansfield ISD community on Wednesday night, Superintendent Kimberley Cantu said effective immediately additional law enforcement will be on district campuses. The additional personnel will be part of a partnership between Mansfield ISD police and neighboring agencies.
Randomized classroom checks will be implemented to check for weapons in secondary schools using metal detector wands, she said.
A district staff member trained in safety and security will also be assigned to monitor high-traffic and common areas in real time through video surveillance systems, Cantu said in the letter.
The announcement comes a week after the Oct. 6 Timberview High School shooting, which left four injured including a 25-year-old teacher and 15-year-old student who were hospitalized for gunshot wounds. An 18-year-old student was arrested and is accused of pulling a handgun from his backpack and opening fire in a classroom after a fight with the 15-year-old, according to police.
On Tuesday, a small group protested security measures at the high school as students returned to class for the first time since the shooting.
Cantu said the district will host a Town Hall meeting in the near future to discuss student safety with law enforcement and district stakeholders. A date was not specified in the letter.
A school safety committee comprised of students, staff, parents and community members also will be reestablished to help review procedures and determine the next best steps, according to the letter.
The new safety protocols announced Wednesday are in addition to the district’s Emergency Operations Plan and will remain in place until the safety committee finalizes its recommendations, the letter said. While the new measures go into effect immediately, “the conversation with the community surrounding safety and security at our schools will be ongoing,” Cantu said.
“We take the safety, security and well-being of our students and staff very seriously, and it will remain our top priority,” she said.
