A man in his 50s was fatally shot by an EPISD police officer at Franklin High School, resulting in classes being canceled at the West El Paso campus, district officials said.
The shooting happened before 6 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, when an El Paso Independent School District Police Department officer responded to a report of an incident on the perimeter of the high school, EPISD Police Chief Manuel Chavira said at a news conference.
“We want to ensure the public that the incident was isolated to Franklin High School in the early morning hours,” Chavira said. “It did not affect any students, faculty or staff. All other district campuses are safe and secure.”
The shooting only involved the man who died and an EPISD police officer who was responding to an unspecified incident on the Franklin High campus, Chavira said.
No further information on the incident has been released. The El Paso Police Department and Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting, which is standard procedure following a fatal shooting. An EPISD administrative investigation also is being conducted.
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The only students on campus were cross-country athletes, but they were not near the area of the shooting, Chavira said. The students were placed in lockdown and were safe the entire time.
Classes and afterschool activities at Franklin High have been canceled for Thursday, Aug. 22, EPISD officials said. The high school is expected to reopen for classes Friday. All other EPISD schools remain open Thursday, and classes are taking place as scheduled.
Before classes had been scheduled to start on Thursday, a body covered by a white sheet could be seen behind red crime-scene tape on gravel landscaping outside the school located at 900 N. Resler Drive, according to news photos from 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 was established in 1989 and has 40 officers. They are armed like any other law enforcement officers and tasked with various police duties, including 24-hour patrols protecting about 95 schools, centers and office buildings belonging to the school district, according to EPISD.
Franklin-Canutillo football scrimmage games moved
The football scrimmage games between Franklin and Canutillo High School were moved to Friday night, Aug. 23, because of the shooting, Canutillo Independent School District officials said.
The games at Canutillo High School will start with the freshman scrimmage at 5 p.m., the JV game will follow at 6 p.m. and the varsity game will start at 7 p.m., officials said.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
El Paso Times photojournalist Gaby Velasquez and sports reporter Felix Chavez contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Franklin High School classes canceled amid death investigation: EPISD
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