‘Mom, this is not a drill, I love you’: Parents share texts from kids during school shooting

By Nicole Nielsen

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    ARLINGTON, Texas (KTVT) — The moment that gunshots were heard inside Timberview high school on Wednesday, Oct. 6 students began sending urgent text messages to their families.

“I was like ‘there’s a school shooting!’ said Asawer Jorad, while reading her correspondence with family aloud. “Come pick us up!”

While parents on the receiving end, said they were words they never thought would be sent to them.

“She texted me when I was at work and she said ‘Mom, this is not a drill and I love you.’ That was a little hard for me this morning,” said parent Kimberly Middleton.

Students hid in classrooms, hallways and closets after a lockdown command came over the intercom.

Many students said their first reaction was that it was a drill, but quickly learned it was all too real.

“When police started coming, I was like ‘No, this is real. This is really happening,’” Jorad said.

One student who was in the classroom next door to the fight that ended in gunfire said the gunshots were followed by cries for help.

“The guy that got grazed, or shot, he was raising his hand and telling the teacher, our teacher, that he got hit, got shot, and that he was bleeding out right now,” said student Sergio Caballero.

Many parents rushed to Timberview High, but were directed to a reunification center at the Mansfield ISD Center for the Performing Arts.

It’s where students were taken after boarding busses out of the school when the all-clear was given.

And after hours of passing ID’s and filling out paperwork there were hugs and tears from families.

“Today could have ended so much differently than what it did,” said parent Stephanie Wade while fighting back tears. “When you wake up in the morning, you think it’s going to be one way and it ends up being a completely different way. You never know when it’s going to be your last day. So I am very thankful to have my daughter with me.”

While students say, it’s an experience they need time to heal from.

“I am so worried, and I have to deal with this for a bit,” said Caballero.

The school’s principal Derrell Douglas described Wednesday as traumatic and says there won’t be school Thursday at Timberview High School.

They also say all after-school activities including athletic events and games will be cancelled Thursday and the parent-teacher conferences on October 8 will be rescheduled.

The school also has counseling services available to students, staff and families starting on October 7.

They include in person and virtual opportunities.

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