In Dallas, recent online threats of violence have resulted in heightened security at local schools and significant adjustments to high school athletic schedules. These actions come in light of a tragic incident where Kimball JV football player David Washington was shot and killed at a Love’s gas station near Kincaide Stadium last week.
Despite most of the threats being determined as fake or unconfirmed, school and police officials emphasized the importance of safety, which has led to several game reschedulings. For example, Kimball’s freshman football game on Wednesday was relocated to Midlothian, and the Spruce JV team played at Wilmer-Hutchins on the same day. Furthermore, Thursday’s varsity matchup between Kimball and Midlothian was shifted from Sprague Stadium to Midlothian ISD Stadium.
As stated by Robyn Harris, Dallas ISD’s deputy chief of communication services, “All of the games for this week that have adjustments in venues or times are really centered around overall safety.” It was also noted that the changes were not directly linked to the incident outside Kincaide Stadium, but were a proactive measure following a series of social media threats aimed at many districts, including Dallas, Cedar Hill, and Fort Worth.
Harris confirmed that the Texas Department of Public Safety is now involved in the investigation, as the community has been on high alert due to the unusually high number of social media claims. “So far, none have been credible or substantiated, but we must take each seriously,” she explained.
In response to the situation, Duncanville ISD has implemented new rules stating that students must now have a current ID badge and be accompanied by a parent or guardian to attend events on campus. Alongside these adjustments, changes were also noted for future games, including a move of Saturday’s Madison vs. Lincoln game to a morning start at Forester Field rather than the traditional night game at Kincaide Stadium.
School authorities are actively monitoring the safety of the students and ensuring that all events proceed with the utmost care and security. It remains clear that while the threats deemed unfounded, the priority continues to be the well-being of students and the community.
