Student killed, another injured in shooting outside Texas high school

March 20 (UPI) -- A student was killed and another was injured in a shooting outside an Arlington, Texas, high school Monday as students returned from spring break.

The gunman, who also was a student, was taken into custody after Arlington police arrived at 6:55 a.m. to Lamar High school, shortly before classes started, officers told the Dallas Morning News.

Police said they think only two shots were fired near the school's parking lot. One male student was critically wounded and died at a nearby hospital. A female student was grazed by a bullet and was also taken to the hospital, where she was treated for her injury.

After the shooting, the gunman fled the school's campus "immediately," but was quickly caught following a "good description" provided by witnesses who called 911, according to Arlington Police Chief Al Jones.

"We recovered a weapon we believe was used in the shooting this morning," Jones said. "I just want to make this point known: the shooter never entered the school building, and he left the campus immediately after the shots were fired."

Lamar High School was placed on lockdown until 10:40 a.m., when police completed their search of the campus.

One student, who arrived right after the shooting, said she saw someone lying on the ground and being covered by the school's principal and a police officer.

"But when people started saying someone was shot and then when we were all directed into classrooms, that's when it started to feel real," said Stephanie Escamilla, a freshman at the school.

Once the lockdown was lifted, students were taken by bus to the Arlington Independent School District's Athletics Center to be reunited with their parents. Most of the 2,600 students were not on campus at the time of the shooting. Those arriving on school buses were diverted to the reunification center.

Classes have been canceled until Wednesday, according to the school district.

The gunman is currently being held at the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center on a capital murder charge, Jones told reporters during an afternoon news conference.

At this point, police said they have not identified a motive for the shooting but believe it may have been targeted.

"We need our community's help to ensure that guns do not end up on school campuses," Jones told reporters. "We need gun owners to step up -- to ensure that they are properly securing their firearms so kids don't have access to them."

"We prepare for incidents like this, but it is impossible to prepare for the emotion," said Arlington ISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos. "We are heartbroken."