16-year-old armed student shot by police at Mesquite school
On February 19, 2024 at 08:49 a.m., Mesquite Police Dispatch received a call from a school administrator from Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy located at 3200 Oates Dr. The caller advised that there was a student in an office with a firearm in his hands refusing to put it down. Other administrators spoke with the suspect to keep him calm until officers arrived.
When officers arrived on scene, the suspect was alone in the office. Officers provided verbal commands to the suspect. At some point during the negotiations, three officers fired at the suspect. The suspect then complied with commands and was taken into custody.
The suspect was transported to a local area hospital in stable condition. The suspect was identified as a 16-year-old student from the campus, and his identity is being withheld due to his juvenile status. The school was searched by officers according to standard procedures. Reunification was conducted at a nearby church where students from the school were released to family members according to the school’s emergency plans.
“We are grateful that this incident resulted in no injuries to other students, faculty members, or any officers,” said the Mesquite Police Department. “Mesquite Police would like to commend the actions of administrators during this event and the school’s adherence to the standard response protocol. These actions along with the immediate response from the Mesquite Police and Fire Departments ensured this outcome was not the tragedy that it could have been.”
The three officers involved were an 8-year veteran, a 5-year veteran, and an officer-in-training with multiple years of service from another agency. The Mesquite Police Criminal Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Unit are investigating this incident, as well as investigators from the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office who conducts a separate and independent investigation as well.
