Updated on: April 16, 2025 / 7:48 PM CDT / CBS Texas
An unidentified student let the suspected gunman into Wilmer-Hutchins High School through an “unsecured door,” according to arrest records. The 17-year-old suspect then “displayed a firearm and began firing at the students indiscriminately,” the affidavit said. Five students were injured in Tuesday’s shooting.
Door security has been a critical point of emphasis at schools across Texas since the Uvalde school shooting. In a state hearing on the 2022 school shooting, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw testified that the Uvalde gunman entered the school through unsecured doors.
As a result, the Texas Education Agency began conducting yearly intruder detection audits on school campuses across the state. The unannounced inspections included attempts to gain access by looking for unlocked or open doors.
Last year, more than 8,000 campuses were audited, and unauthorized access was gained in only 3% of schools, according to a state audit report. Those schools where access was gained were required to immediately fix their security issues.
Heightening door security also became a priority for Dallas ISD. In the months after the Uvalde shooting, Dallas ISD inspected every exterior door on every campus. District officials also prioritized repairing broken doors. Every morning, school maintenance teams address open work orders for broken door locks first.
However, the incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School highlights that even the best safety measures hinge on the cooperation of staff and students, as a securely locked door likely would not have kept the shooter out, since the suspect was let in by a student.
A school district source told the CBS News Texas I-Team that the door the student opened for the suspected gunman was locked and could only be opened from the inside, but it’s unclear if opening the door set off any security alerts or why state police referred to it as an “unsecured door” in the arrest affidavit.
Brian New has been a member of the CBS 11 News team since 2013. In 2017, he was awarded the Lone Star Emmy for best investigative reporter. This is one of 10 Emmy awards Brian has been honored with during his career.
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