Tracy Haynes Jr., 17, turned himself in to police after video showed him shooting in the hallway at Wilmer-Hutchins High School students.
DALLAS — Watch Dallas ISD’s press conference on WFAA+ Wednesday, starting at 11 a.m. Don’t have WFAA+? Here’s how to download and install it on your TV.
Dallas Independent School District officials are set to give an update Thursday morning regarding this week’s shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School where five people were hospitalized.
Tracy Haynes Jr.. 17, turned himself into police and he has been charged with “aggravated assault mass shooting,” a specific charge related to mass shooting incidents that was passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023. His bond was set at $600,000, according to jail records.
In a video initially posted to Instagram, which has been confirmed as authentic by WFAA’s sources, Haynes says, “I know I was wrong for what I did. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to do it.” In the clip, Haynes does not specify exactly what he did. But did say he loved his nieces and nephews, and that he believed people were going to kill him.
“My mama gone, my granny gone, everybody gone that I love, so… I can’t go. I can’t go. I’d rather y’all see me like this, locked up, than y’all see me dead in the ground,” Haynes continued.
An arrest affidavit obtained by WFAA said school surveillance cameras showed an unidentified student let Haynes in an unsecured door. Haynes walked the hallway until he saw multiple male students in the hallway, displayed a firearm and began shooting at the students indiscriminately, the affidavit said. Five students were shot, according to the affidavit, but Dallas Fire-Rescue officials later clarified that one of those students was not shot and had instead suffered anxiety-related symptoms.
Haynes then approached one student who could not run and “appeared to take a point-blank shot,” the affidavit said.
According to Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde, classes at Wilmer-Hutchins High School have been canceled for the rest of the week, and mental health resources will be provided to students, faculty and staff.
WFAA will stream the Dallas ISD press conference live at 11 a.m. You can watch it on WFAA+. Here is how to download the free streaming app to your TV.
