Samuel Reynolds, 16, was fatally shot at an apartment complex in Arlington, Texas this past Thursday, just a few days after he intervened in an incident involving another kid and a classmate at his school Arlington High, Buzzfeed News reports. The alleged bully, who cannot be identified since he's only 15, and therefore, a minor, was taken into custody, and charged with murder.
The teen suspected of shooting Reynolds was caught on a security camera pulling out a .40-caliber gun, and firing off a single round at the Pinewood Apartments complex where both kids lived. "He pulls out a handgun from the rear part of his pants he was wearing, points it at the victim and fires one round," Arlington Police Lt. Christopher Cook told reporters. "We did recover one spent shell casing." The firearm has yet to be retrieved.
Reynolds' death left Cook wondering how a 15-year-old was able to gain access to the .40-caliber gun that resulted in the death of someone who had decades ahead of him. "That's something we want an answer for," he told reporters. "We are sick and tired of children in our community coming in contact with firearms and possessing them and using them."
A GoFundMe page has been created by the niece of Reynolds' mother, Madison Fletcher, to help cover his funeral costs.
During a vigil for Reynolds held in the parking lot of Arlington High last Friday, his former junior varsity soccer teammate Russell Laniyan spoke about the kind heart that Samuel had. "He would do anything to support his friends and anyone he found close to him," Laniyan said, per WFAA. "I thank him for the impact that he made on my life."
Head over to StopBullying.org to find out how kids and adults can better understand bullying, and how to safely prevent it from continuing to happen.
