A 13-year-old boy in Lubbock, Texas is facing aggravated assault and evidence tampering charges after teacher Kelly Matthews was shot outside Highland Middle School just before noon on September 25th. According to police, the boy admitted to the shooting and told his father he took the gun from a safe at home, saying he intended to shoot anyone. Body camera footage shows officers finding him in a nearby alley, where he asked whether the teacher was dead.
Matthews is now recovering at a rehab center, and his wife says each day is a challenge with the long-term effects still unclear. The case has put a spotlight on how children access firearms and how schools respond to threats outside their buildings.
Here on the Suncoast, where families are already tracking hurricane season and keeping an eye on red tide, this story lands as a reminder about the conversations we have at the kitchen table. If there’s a gun in your home, is it locked, is the key with someone who understands the stakes, and do your kids know what to do if they find one? What would it take for your family to have that talk this week?
