Timberview HS Shooting Trial: Jurors hear new evidence in sentencing phase

FORT WORTH, Texas - A Tarrant County jury will soon decide the fate of a young man found guilty of wounding three people in the 2021 Timberview High School shooting.

The jury deliberated for nearly nine hours Thursday before handing down a guilty verdict for 19-year-old Timothy Simpkins.

The former Timberview High School student put his palm to his face after hearing the verdict. His mother eventually left the courtroom distraught and in tears.

During the sentencing phase, prosecutors revealed new, damning evidence about Simpkins shooting at someone days before the school shooting and that he was dealing drugs.

It is the high-risk activity the Arlington police chief said back in 2021 was at the root of the school shooting, not bullying like the shooter's family tried to claim.

Prosecutors showed video they said was Simpkins shooting at an escaping car at an Arlington gas station after Simpkins had just let the other driver into his car, but was pistol-whipped and robbed by the guy.

It's not the kind of robbery reported to authorities.

"He was robbed at a RaceTrac. Somebody pistol-whipped him, he then gets out of his car and shoots at them about eight times," prosecutor Lloyd Whelchel said.

Prosecutors said 10 days before the school shooting, Simpkins met up with someone at an Arlington RaceTrac gas station, let them into his car, and was then robbed and pistol-whipped by that person.

The state said the surveillance video shows Simpkins get out of his Dodge Charger and shoot at the escaping car at least eight times.

"So he is carrying that gun for one reason, so he won’t get robbed again or beat, because that’s what he is, a drug dealer," Whelchel said. 

The state focused heavily on Simpkins' high-risk behavior.

The defense argued Simpkins feared for his life and therefore, deserves a second chance... 

"This is about a kid that got in over his head, that was pistol-whipped, that was bullied, that’s not a fighter, and didn’t know what to do," defense attorney Sheena Winkfield argued.

Prosecutors are urging the maximum penalty for Simpkins, life in prison. They presented evidence, including firearms, ammunition, and marijuana recovered from Simpkins’ sister’s apartment and his grandmother’s home.

"It was 15 individually packaged bags," an investigator testified.

[ATTORNEY: "Why does that stand out?"]

"That’s typically how it’s packaged for distribution," the investigator responded.

Simpkins’ former girlfriend, who was in the classroom next door to the shooting, also testified. 

[ATTORNEY: "What did he tell you happened at the RaceTrac convenience store?"]

"Timothy told me that he had been robbed and pistol-whipped, And then he showed me his head and it was bleeding," Jada Anderson said.

[ATTORNEY: "Did he go further and tell you he had shot at them?"]

"No ma’am," she said.

Investigators said text messages from Simpkins’ phone referenced that RaceTrac convenience store shoot out.

[ATTORNEY: "Next message from the defendant to Romel says what?"]

"Don’t shoot at school unless they do something first," Arlington PD Detective Richard Jablon said.

[ATTORNEY: "What does the defendant say?"]

"He says they not gon’ move smart, trust me, on sight, knock ‘em off," Jablon said.

"Would you be upset if somebody robbed you?" defense attorney Winkfield said.

"Yes, I would," an investigator responded.

"So if someone robbed you with a gun and pistol-whipped you, would you want to protect yourself with a gun?" Winkfield added.

"Yes, I would," the investigator answered.

There was another piece of evidence from Simpkins’ phone, from its internet search history–

"The date and time is September 30th, 2021, at 9:24:30 a.m. The search says if you at school and somebody tries to fight you and you shoot them, how much time will you get?" an attorney said.

Friday afternoon, the defense called multiple witnesses to speak on Simpkins’ character, including his mother, Katrina Roberson.

[ATTORNEY: "So you feel helpless right now?"

"Very helpless," Roberson said.

They want Simpkins to get a light sentence, claiming he can be rehabilitated.

Among the state’s arguments to that is his poor track record while out on bond.

Bond was revoked multiple times for marijuana violations with Simpkins ultimately losing bond privileges.

The defense was in the middle of calling its witnesses to the stand when the judge decided to pick back up on Monday at 8:30 a.m.

Simpkins must now wait until next week to learn his punishment after being convicted of attempted capital by a Tarrant County jury.

During testimony, the state showed jurors the .45 caliber handgun Simpkins used to shoot and injure a teacher and two students back on Oct. 6, 2021.

Cellphone video presented as evidence showed Simpkins fighting with another student, Zach Selby, in class. After the two were separated, prosecutors said Simpkins grabbed a gun that he had brought to school and opened fire.

TRIAL COVERAGE:

• Timberview HS shooting trial: Witnesses describe 'chaos' in school on first day of testimony
• Timberview HS Shooting Trial: State rests, new video shown in court
• Timberview HS Shooting Trial: Defense rests, closing arguments delayed until Thursday
• Timothy Simpkins found guilty of attempted capital murder for Timberview HS shooting

Security video showed him following Selby out of the classroom and into the hallway, firing more shots.

During closing arguments, the defense claimed Selby, who was 15 at the time, was the aggressor and that he caused then-18-year-old Simpkins to fear for his life.

But the judge has previously ruled the jury could not consider the shooting justified by self-defense when deliberating.

And the panel found him guilty of three counts of attempted capital murder.

As Simpkins was taken away, the prosecution was seen smiling and hugging audience members, including two teachers who testified.

Teacher Calvin Petit, who Simpkins shot in the back, offered a smile as he embraced his family.

None of the attorneys on the other side spoke to reporters after the verdict.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Timberview High School shooting leaves four injured; suspect arrested
• Contradicting police, attorneys for alleged Timberview High School shooter double down on bullying claims
• Police chief: Bullying played no role in Timberview High School shooting
• 15-year-old shot at Timberview High School released from hospital
• Timberview High School adds metal detector wands following shooting
• Timberview High School shooting suspect arrested again

FOX 4 will stream the sentencing phase of the trial on FOX4News.com and the FOX 4 YouTube Channel.