A Tarrant County, Texas jury has convicted former student Timothy Simpkins of attempted capital murder for a 2021 shooting at a high school in Arlington.
CBS Texas reports that Simpkins, now 19, who was a student at Timberview High School in the Mansfield Independent School District, was found guilty of shooting fellow students Zacchaeus Selby and Shaniya McNeely, as well as a teacher, Calvin Pettit, who still has a bullet lodged in his chest.
The shooting occurred on Oct. 6, 2021
The guilty verdict means Simpkins could face up to life in prison.
During closing arguments, Simpkins' attorney Marquetta Clayton described a fight before the shooting; a cellphone video shows Simpkins being attacked and stomped in the head by Selby. Clayton argued that Simpkins was a bullied student who was trying to protect himself.
Assistant District Attorney Lloyd Whelchel portrayed Simpkins as a "cold-blooded killer who just got lucky" because "he's a bad shot." He argued that Simpkins woke up with the intent to kill Selby, carrying a gun around school all day and pulling the trigger six times.
