The family of a teenage boy shot 'seven or eight times' by fellow student Timothy George Simpkins after a brawl have described him as 'a sweet and caring child', insisting that he never bullied his attacker.
Simpkins, 18, brought a gun to his high school in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday and, after a fist fight caught on camera, opened fire.
He hit Zacchaeus Selby, 15; shot in the back English teacher Calvin Pettit, 25; and grazed a teenage girl.
On a GoFundMe page, Zacch's family said: 'This innocent 15 year old did not bully Tim, 18 year old senior - or deserved to be in the hospital fighting for his life.'
Simpkins has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault and on Thursday was released on $75,000 bond, partying with his friends and family at home following his release. His family said he was bullied and robbed at school; singled out for his expensive clothes and car.
On a GoFundMe page, his mother states: 'Timothy was robbed at gunpoint and stripped of his possessions a couple of weeks ago.'
It's unclear if that GoFundMe page has been taken down now, or how much it raised.
Zacchaeus Selby, 15, was identified by his family as being involved in the fight with Simpkins. The family insisted that Selby 'did not bully Tim'
Timothy Simpkins walked out of Tarrant County Correctional Center on Thursday afternoon after a bondsman paid some of his $75,000 bond. The 18-year-old opened fire in his classroom on Wednesday after a fight with another classmate, Zacchaeus Selby . He also shot a 25-year-old English teacher who had tried to break up the fight, and grazed a teenage girl
Simpkins, 18, is pictured on Thursday evening partying with friends and family after being released on a $75,000 bond for his shooting of students and a teacher in class
But on a different GoFundMe, Selby's family said he was not bullying the shooter - who is three years his senior - and that he has a 'heart of gold.'
'Zacchaeus is a bright young and respectful individual who lit up a room every time with his presence.
'He has a heart of gold and does not deserve to be fighting for his life in the ICU due to being shot in an environment were kids should feel safe.
This video, taken moments before the shooting, shows Timothy Simpkins, the shooter, being beaten up in his classroom by a 15-year-old student, identified by his family as Zacchaeus Selby. After teachers broke up the fight, Timothy went to his backpack and retrieved his gun. He shot Selby 'seven to eight times', according to the police report. He also shot a teacher in the back and grazed a teenager girl with another bullet before going on the run
Yet Selby's family, who are raising money for his medical expenses, denied he had bullied Simpkins.
'He is a great brother, boyfriend, and coworker and does not have a bone in his body to bully anyone.
'Zacch really does have a heart of gold, a child himself and works with kids on a daily basis.'
A fourth person, English teacher Pariesa Altman, was named as a witness in the incident, as was a teenage girl, Eyimofe Olawepo.
Simpkins said nothing as he strode out of the jail on Thursday in a blue t-shirt, matching baseball cap worn backwards, and jeans.
Simpkins is pictured on Thursday leaving court, having been charged with aggravated assault
Simpkins has hired his own attorney. It's unclear when he is next due in court. He has been charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon
Relatives and friends were seen outside the house in Arlington, arriving with boxes of food
A large group of people was seen chatting outside the home owned by Simpkins' grandmother
The house, in the Edgefield district of Arlington, was a hive of activity on Thursday
This GoFundMe was set up for Timothy last night by a friend of the family asking for $25,000. It appears to have been taken down now. The family said Timothy had been picked on by the other kids because he had 'nice things'
It's unclear why he has been charged with aggravated assault and not attempted murder or more serious charges, or why the judge granted him bail.
Hours later, one of his relatives boasted on social media that he was already home and shared videos from a family gathering inside a home. He was shown holding a baby, standing in his kitchen, chatting to relatives, and posing grinning with three girls.
The family was seen outside the house unloading a car with boxes laden with fried chicken, ready for what seemed to be a celebration of his release from jail.
His mother wrote on the GoFundMe: 'The unfortunate backstory is that Timothy's father was brutally beaten to death. This fact definitely heightened Timothy’s fear for his life.
'Not to mention that the young man responsible for beating and harassing him had recently made threats to kill him so you see, my son was terrified and believed he would be murdered just like his father.
'I believe my son's entire story should be heard and I am asking that you help me share it in an effort to balance the one-sided narrative that the media is broadcasting.
'Please know that I am not suggesting that taking a gun to school was the right choice to make, I am just saying that there is so much more to the story and all of the details should be known.'
The family is trying to raise $25,000 for his legal costs: in the first hour, only $20 was donated.
Meanwhile, teacher Calvin Pettitt - who was shot because he tried to break up the fight - remained in the hospital, with a bullet in his shoulder that narrowly missed his aorta.
Pettitt's horrified sister, upon learning the shooter had been released, tweeted: 'How can this keep managing to get worse?'
The Tarrant County District's Attorney still has not filed a case against the teen, and his next court date has not yet been scheduled.
Arlington school shooter Timothy Simpkins celebrates with his family on Thursday after being released from jail on a $75,000 bond while his victims remained in the hospital, one of them clinging to life
Simpkins - who is 5ft 9in and weighs 135lbs - opened fire in his classroom at Timberview High School on Wednesday morning, shortly after 9am.
A video of his fight with Selby was posted on social media by Simpkins' cousin on Wednesday night in an effort to prove that he was being bullied.
It shows Simpkins - who was identified by police as wearing a light colored hoodie in the footage - being pummeled by the other boy.
Once the fight was over, Simpkins went to his orange backpack, pulled out of his gun and started shooting.
He fled in his car, and handed himself in to police on Wednesday afternoon.
Simpkins was arraigned on Thursday morning via video link. He told the judge he understood the charges and that he would retain his own attorney.
'Multiple teachers and coaches were working to break up the altercation between Simpkins and the juvenile victim,' his arrest documentation states.
'Once the fight was broken up, the juvenile witness observed Simpkins go to an orange backpack and retrieve a black firearm.
Timothy Simpkins, 18, is shown in his Dodge Charger in a recent social media post. In the side of the car, what looks like a gun is visible. The teenager opened fire in school on Wednesday, shooting at least two people. No one died but some are in a critical condition. His family say he was being bullied in school and he lashed out in self-defense. The school is yet to confirm if they received any reports of the bullying
Timothy George Simpkins, 18, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault for firing a .45 caliber gun during a fistfight at school on Wednesday morning, before fleeing in his Dodge Charger. He is pictured in his booking photo taken on Wednesday (left) and in photos with his car (right)
Simpkins' arrest affidavit reveals how he pulled the gun from his backack after teachers, including Pettitt, broke up the fight
'The witness observed Simpkins point the firearm at the juvenile victim and sees Simpkins shoot, from her account, seven to eight times.
'The witness then observed the juvenile victim fall to the ground,' the police report, which DailyMail.com obtained a copy of on Thursday, read.
It also reveals that Pettitt was one of the teachers who tried to break up the fight.
Simpkins' family spoke out to defend him on Wednesday night, claiming he is a 'loveable' boy who snapped after being 'bullied'.
They say the other kids picked on him because he has a 'nice car' - a $35,000 Dodge Challenger - and wears expensive clothes, like the $160 Off-White x Nike sneakers he is pictured wearing on social media.
Other social media posts show him sitting in the car, with what looks like a black gun in the side door.
Police confirmed in his arrest warrant that the gun used in the shooting was black, but they have not given any further details.
Simpkins' family. He lives with his grandmother Lillie (center) in a $400,000 home. Carol Harrison Lafayette (second from right, speaking) is a relative and family spokesperson. She told reporters outside the family home that Simpkins was being relentlessly bullied and that while they were 'sorry' for the people he hurt, they are grateful he didn't kill himself after being picked on by bullies
Simpkins lives with his grandmother in a $400,000 house in this street. His family claimed he was targeted because he has nice things
The teenager is shown, left, on his car and right, in a photo released by police on Wednesday after he went on the run. His family have not explained where the 'expensive' things they say he was bullied over came from. It's unclear who bought him his car or if he has a job
It's also unclear who it belongs to, when it was purchased and why he was able to get it into the school.
The school does not use metal detectors, like other high schools.
Simpkins lives in a $400,000 home with his grandmother Lillie.
His father was beaten to death, according to The Dallas Morning News, and his mother was in jail for much of his childhood.
He drives a 2018 Silver Dodge Charger, and his family described him as a 'loveable' young man who hoped to become an engineer.
'He was robbed. It was recorded. It happened not just once, it happened twice. He was scared, he was afraid,' said Carol Harrison Lafayette, another relative, outside the family's home on Wednesday night.
'It could have been a decision that he could have committed suicide... he was trying to protect himself. They were blessed financially.
'He was able to get things that other teenagers cannot have, because he wore nice clothes, because he drove nice cars, he was like a target.
'There is no justification of anybody … being hurt. We have to take a look at the fact that bullying is real. And it takes us all.
'And I do apologize. We ask as a family for forgiveness of any type of hurt.'
A law enforcement officer walks in the parking lot of Timberview Hight School after the shooting
Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas (above) was placed on lockdown on Wednesday
Cint Wheat, his cousin, wrote in a Facebook post: 'At the end of the day my lil cousin was bullied. 'I don't know to feel about this he not no bad kid.'
She later claimed in the comments section of her post that her aunt went to the school to report the bullying but that nothing was done.
'Right now they about to come up with what shoulda coulda been done when all the signs was ignored and the cries for help,' she said.
Timberview High School did not respond to inquiries about whether or not the bullying was ever reported.
Dr Kimberley Cantu, superintendent of Mansfield school district, in which Timberview sits, said they were coming together to support each other.
'This tragedy is something that we never wanted to see in our community and although this crisis occurred at one campus Timberview because we are all so connected, it is impacted our entire Mansfield ISD family.
'We know you entrust your loved ones to our care and the safety and security of our students and staff is always our top priority.'
Cantu said every Mansfield ISD campus had increased security on Thursday, while Timberview High School was closed.
'The way the events unfolded yesterday demonstrates how having a police officer on every campus makes a difference,' she said.
'Our MISD officer was there and responded swiftly to the call as did our Timberview High School and early college high school staff and students, and that danger was quickly contained.
'We are so grateful for the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners including Arlington, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie police departments because when we needed them, they responded.'
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