Timberview High School shooting trial set to begin Monday

ARLINGTON, Texas - Opening statements will begin in the trial of the accused Timberview High School shooter on Monday.

19-year-old Timothy Simpkins is facing three counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place in connection to the shooting on Oct. 6, 2021.

Simpkins was indicted by a Tarrant County Grand Jury on Feb. 11, 2022.

Timberview High School shooting trial begins Monday

Opening statements begin Monday in the trial of an accused school shooter in North Texas. Timothy Simpkins is on trial for shooting three people outside of Timberview High School two years ago.

Four people were hurt in the shooting, including two teachers and two students. 15-year-old Zaccheus Selby was critically injured but survived. Another student was grazed by a bullet, and a teacher was shot. A second teacher, who was pregnant, was injured in chaos following the shooting.

Police said Zaccheus and Simpkins got into a physical fight in a classroom. Others tried to break up the fight, then Simpkins pulled a handgun out of his backpack and shot Zaccheus multiple times.

Simpkins’ family claimed the Mansfield ISD senior was being bullied. Police said they were investigating these claims, but the Arlington police chief said he does not believe bullying played any role in the shooting.

With a full SWAT call-out, Arlington PD searched Simpkins’ home and said a 45-caliber weapon used in the shooting was found near the school. Simpkins' family attorney spoke out and said he’d been severely bullied leading up to the shooting.

Attorney Sean Colston, who is not affiliated with the case, offered perspective on how Simpkins’ claim of bullying might be used as a defense.

"It just depends on the types of facts the defense presents to determine whether a jury is likely to find self-defense in any particular case," he said.

Colston says it could be a slippery slope for the state and defense, given the emotional climate connected to school shootings nationwide but also bullying if that is proven.

Colson also says the case could dissect a person’s second amendment right to defend themselves with deadly force if in fact they fear their life is in danger.

"You’re going to have to try to isolate those other cases that have happened and have been high profile with high publicity and, number one, see if you can get the jury to focus on the particular facts and circumstances of this case," he said.

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