High school students at Wilmer-Hutchins in Dallas ISD held a brief protest after a shooting took place inside the school last week, injuring five people.
Wednesday morning, students at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas Independent School District returned to school for the first time since a 17-year-old shot multiple people inside the school last week. Some students participated in a walkout in protest of what happened.
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WATCH HEREThere was a heavy presence of DISD police officers and deputies from the Dallas County Sheriff's Office on campus and around the school in an effort to make students and parents feel safe.
"I don't want to have that gut feeling like, 'Oh my God, is she okay? Is she not okay?'" expressed Janette Garcia, whose daughter is a freshman at Wilmer-Hutchins High School. She said they were both a little nervous about her daughter returning to school.
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SIGN UP "I wouldn't say jumpy, but she's very uncomfortable. I feel like she doesn't want to be here, but it's the simple fact it's so close to the end of the year. For her to move to another school, even for her grade, I feel like it's not the right move," said Garcia.
Dallas ISD Police Chief Albert Martinez said they made it a point to have a major "footprint" on campus.
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"We understand the anxiety and frustration our parents are feeling for their students here. We are again at Wilmer-Hutchins, and so do we. We feel that frustration and anxiety," said Chief Albert Martinez.
Extra staff and police are expected to remain on campus through the end of the year.
"They did what they said they were going to do, in there right now helping our kids feel safe, so I appreciate that," said Garcia.
Inside the school, DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins greeted students as they returned to school.
"There's still work to be done. I understand parents are nervous, I totally understand that, but what I want parents to know is that we've added a police from the county," said Jenkins.
The district is also looking into new technology to sound alarms when the side doors are opened. It's in response to the shooting after surveillance video showed the accused gunman enter a side door after a student let him inside.
Despite the commitments from officials to increase security measures, there are still many concerns from the community. Some people posted signs along the perimeter of the school demanding that the district tackle the root of youth violence and provide more resources for campuses like Wilmer-Hutchins.
"Our children, our students, shouldn't have to feel unsafe at a public school," said one man.
Some students held a walkout to demonstrate their frustration. The district says it provided a safe space on the side of the school to express themselves, even though the family of one student said they wanted to go to the front of the school for more visibility.
Garcia said she did receive a text message from DISD about the student protest, which lasted about 30 minutes before the teens were instructed to go back inside.
Garcia said she and her daughter are taking it day by day.
"For her to not feel safe in the one place that she actually enjoys and likes to come to, it's kind of hard," she said.
The accused shooter, 17-year-old Tracy Haynes Jr., is still in jail with a $3.1 million bond. Prosecutors said the attack was premeditated, but his family said he feared for his life due to gang threats.
