Two teens were shot and killed at separate parties following their high school proms in Arkansas and Texas over the weekend.
Lorenzo Harrison III, 18, was gunned down during an afterparty in West Helena, Arkansas, in the early morning hours of Sunday. He was a senior at Central High School.
A previous graduate of the school turned himself in to police just a few hours after the shooting. Donterious Stephens, 19, was charged with first-degree murder and possession of firearms.
Tony Roach, principal of Central High School, shared a letter to faculty, teachers, and students following the student’s death.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the tragic passing of one of our 12th-grade students. The loss of a young life is always difficult to comprehend, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the student during this difficult time,” the statement read.
The school district’s crisis team will support students and staff and provide counseling services, the administration added.
“On behalf of the Helena-West Helena School District Administration our hearts ache for the tragic loss of our beloved 12th-grade student at Central High School, and our deepest sympathies extend to his grieving family, classmates, friends, and our entire school community impacted by this senseless act of violence,” a district statement said.
It is unclear what motivated the shooting or how many other students attended the party. The gathering was held at a warehouse located across the street from Central High School.
The suspect is currently jailed at the Phillips County jail.
The victim’s body will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab, where an autopsy will determine the cause and manner of death.
“I just can’t believe this is real, it’s so unreal and your last night was going to be your prom,” Vanessa Harrison, the victim’s mother, wrote in a social media post.
Anyone with information about the shooting should contact the Phillip County Sheriff’s Office at (870) 970-6082.
Another shooting happened around the same time at a prom afterparty in Fort Worth, Texas. Gunfire erupted just before 1 a.m. Sunday outside a home. A fight between two different groups during a game of dice led to the shooting, witnesses said.
Daniel Olalde Moreno, 19, was shot and transported to a hospital but later died of his injuries, according to authorities.
The homeowner, who did not attend the party, told police that the celebration was being held for her son. He was a student at Arlington Heights High School, according to the homeowner. She said the party was intended to be a small gathering, but her home address was shared on social media.
There were as many as 300 people at the home on Singleleaf Lane in southwest Fort Worth, including former high school graduates and dropouts of the school, police said. Most of the guests were uninvited.
Two others were injured in the shooting but survived. They remain hospitalized in stable condition.
So far, Fort Worth police have made no arrests. Police are looking for at least one shooter. Authorities are asking for any witnesses to come forward with information that can help lead to an arrest.
