A devastating shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Southeast Dallas left four students injured and a community reeling on April 15, 2025. The suspect, 17-year-old Tracy Haynes Jr., turned himself in hours after allegedly opening fire in a school hallway, an act captured on surveillance video and described as indiscriminate by authorities.
Charged with aggravated assault in a mass shooting, Haynes’ actions have reignited concerns about school safety, particularly as this marks the second shooting at the school in just over a year. The incident, fueled by an unconfirmed motive possibly linked to a dice game, underscores persistent challenges in preventing gun violence on school campuses.
Shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School
The incident began shortly after 1:00 p.m. on April 15, 2025, at Wilmer-Hutchins High School, located at 5500 Langdon Road. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, surveillance footage showed an unidentified student letting Haynes into the school through an unsecured side door at 1:03 p.m.
Tracy Haynes Jr, whose status as a student at the school remains unconfirmed, walked down a hallway, spotted a group of male students, and began firing indiscriminately. The affidavit details how he then approached one student who couldn’t flee and appeared to take a point-blank shot, though the gun reportedly jammed, likely sparing the student’s life.
Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed four students, aged 15 to 18, were shot, with injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to serious. A fifth student was hospitalized for anxiety-related symptoms, initially reported as a shooting victim. One 17-year-old male was shot in the lower leg, and another victim remained in serious condition.
The school was locked down, and students were evacuated to the football stadium, where parents reunited with them amid chaotic scenes of panic. Witnesses, including freshman Salondra Ibanez, described hearing multiple gunshots and hiding behind desks or in storage rooms as teachers followed safety protocols.
Dallas School Shooting is not a mass causality event.
— ⏰0⏰ (@0HOUR1__) April 15, 2025
Two students got in a conflict one shot in the leg.
All students are out of the school.
Dont let the X influencer of drama get you worked up.
Its over already. pic.twitter.com/Zodc3mb6fw
First responders, including Dallas Police, Dallas ISD officers, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, the FBI, and ATF, secured the campus by 1:45 p.m. Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde canceled classes for the week, providing mental health support for students and staff. The shooting, occurring almost exactly a year after a April 12, 2024, classroom shooting at the same school, deepened community fears about recurring violence.
Legal Action and Haynes’ Surrender
Tracy Haynes Jr. fled the scene after the shooting, flagging down a stranger, Milton Nieto, for a ride. Nieto, unaware of Haynes’ involvement, drove him to a gas station in Red Oak after Haynes claimed he had been in a car wreck and needed to reach his father.
Around 9:00 p.m., Haynes turned himself in at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center, assisted by Antong Lucky of Urban Specialists, a violence prevention group contacted by Haynes’ family. Haynes reportedly told Lucky, “I gotta deal with this,” expressing his intent to surrender rather than remain on the run.
Tracy Haynes Jr was booked into Dallas County Jail on four counts of aggravated assault in a mass shooting, a first-degree felony, with a $600,000 bond ($150,000 per count). If he posts bond, he will be required to wear an ankle monitor. The charges reflect the severity of the incident, with police noting that the number of victims elevated the case to a mass shooting classification.
An arrest affidavit cites Texas Penal Code 22.02, stating Haynes “intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly attempted to cause serious bodily injury” using a deadly weapon. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a definitive motive, though one student suggested to NBC affiliate KXAS-TV that the shooting may have stemmed from a dispute over a dice game.
Haynes’ aunt, Cynthia Haynes, expressed shock, telling The Dallas Morning News, “He was not raised like that.” The family’s disbelief underscores the complexity of understanding what drove the 17-year-old to such violence. As the investigation continues, Dallas ISD and police are withholding details about Haynes’ connection to the school or how he obtained the firearm, citing the ongoing probe.
Systemic Failures and Community Outcry
The shooting has exposed persistent security vulnerabilities at Wilmer-Hutchins High School. Despite metal detectors and a clear backpack policy implemented after the 2024 shooting, Tracy Haynes Jr entered through an unsecured door, bypassing these measures.
Dallas ISD Assistant Chief of Police Christina Smith insisted the breach was not a failure of staff, protocols, or equipment, as the gun did not enter during regular intake hours. However, the incident echoes last year’s failures, when a broken metal detector and lax bag checks allowed a student to bring a revolver into a classroom, injuring another student.
Parents and students voiced frustration at a community meeting on April 15, with many, like Tamika Martin, mother of junior Deliyah Martin, declaring the school unsafe. “I’m afraid for my daughter to even go back,” she said.
LaTara Dobbin, whose freshman son jumped out a classroom window to escape, called the recurring violence “ridiculous,” noting her older son experienced the 2024 shooting. Students like sophomore Abby Falcon, who hid during the gunfire, and senior Sevynn Jones, who worried about graduation plans, expressed fear and distrust in the school’s ability to protect them.
The incident has intensified calls for systemic change. Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins praised the rapid response but urged stronger preventive measures. Community leaders, including Wilmer City Council member Sergio Campos, who witnessed the chaos, are demanding answers about how an unsecured door went unnoticed.
Dallas ISD plans to provide an update on April 17, 2025, as parents and the Board of Trustees press for transparency and solutions. The broader context of gun violence in schools, coupled with Texas’ permissive gun laws, has fueled debates about balancing security with accessibility, with no easy answers in sight.
As Tracy Haynes Jr. awaits his legal proceedings, Wilmer-Hutchins High School faces the daunting task of rebuilding trust. The four injured students, their families, and a traumatized community are left grappling with the aftermath, hoping this tragedy sparks meaningful change to prevent another day of fear and loss.