A 16-year-old student who opened fire at Arlington Lamar High School earlier this year, tragically killing one student and injuring another, has been sentenced by a Tarrant County jury to 40 years behind bars for capital murder and attempted capital murder.
The incident occurred on March 20, 2023, when the juvenile brought a shotgun to school. Before the start of the school day, he discharged the shotgun outside the school, targeting a group of students waiting for the doors to unlock. Sixteen-year-old Ja'Shawn Poirier lost his life in the shooting, and a 16-year-old girl sustained injuries from shrapnel.
Assistant District Attorneys Lloyd Whelchel and Lee Sorrells, who handled the case, presented a video of the shooting to the jury during the trial. Sorrells emphasized the fear that gripped the students on that fateful day, stating, "There's nothing more terrible or terrifying for a kid than sitting there at school and then getting shot, getting killed. ... He set out to kill someone that day and he did."
The teen, who was 15 at the time of the incident, admitted to being the shooter and allowed the jury to determine his sentence. His identity is withheld due to his status as a minor.
Assistant District Attorney Whelchel urged the jury to send a message to the community about accountability for such actions, saying, "How many school shootings do we have to have for us to get a clue? Send a message to the community that there is accountability for this kind of behavior. He needs to be held accountable so we know we will be safe from him for the next 40 years."
Following his sentencing, the teen will be transferred to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Before he turns 19, a judge will assess whether he should serve the remainder of his sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
In June, Whelchel and Sorrells had attempted to have the teen certified as an adult for trial. However, District Judge Kim denied the request, retaining the youth in the juvenile court system.
District Attorney Investigators Caleb Blank and Jose Fonseca played pivotal roles in the case.
Authorities expressed their gratitude to the Arlington Police Department for their diligent work on the case and their unwavering commitment to the safety of the community.
