close
close

Classes at Franklin High School canceled due to death investigation: EPISD

A man in his 50s was fatally shot by an EPISD police officer at Franklin High School, causing classes to be canceled at the west El Paso campus, district officials said.

The shooting occurred before 6 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, when an officer with the El Paso Independent School District Police Department responded to a report of an incident on the high school grounds, EPISD Police Chief Manuel Chavira said at a news conference.

“We want to reassure the public that the incident was limited to Franklin High School in the early morning hours,” Chavira said. “No students, faculty or staff were affected. All other campuses in the district are safe and secure.”

The shooting involved only the man killed and an EPISD police officer who was responding to an unspecified incident on the Franklin High School campus, Chavira said.

No further information has been released about the incident. The shooting is currently under investigation by the El Paso Police Department and the Texas Rangers, as is standard practice when an officer shoots someone, and is the subject of an administrative investigation by EPISD.

Read: El Paso schools release unofficial state accountability ratings amid lawsuit

The only students on campus were cross-country athletes, but they were nowhere near the crime scene, Chavira said. The students were quarantined and were safe the entire time.

Classes and extracurricular activities at Franklin High have been canceled for Thursday, Aug. 22, EPISD officials said. The high school is expected to reopen for classes on Friday. All other EPISD schools will remain open Thursday and classes will be held as scheduled.

Before classes were scheduled to start Thursday, a body covered with a white sheet could be seen behind red tape in a gravel lot in front of the school at 900 N. Resler Drive, according to news photos obtained by Channel 14-KFOX.

EPISD police shooting at Franklin High School

The shooting at Franklin High School is believed to be the first fatal shooting involving an EPISD police officer.

The EPISD Police Department was established in 1989 and has 40 officers. They are armed like all other police officers and have various police duties, including 24-hour patrols to protect about 95 schools, centers and office buildings in the school district, according to EPISD.

Football practice games between Franklin and Canutillo postponed

Practice games between Franklin High School and Canutillo High School have been postponed until Friday evening, Aug. 23, because of the shooting, Canutillo Independent School District officials said.

Games at Canutillo High School will begin with the freshmen scrimmage at 5 p.m., the juniors game follows at 6 p.m. and the first team game begins at 7 p.m., officials said.

This story is developing. Check back later for updates.

Photojournalist Gaby Velasquez and sports reporter Felix Chavez of the El Paso Times contributed to this report.

You may also like...