Mothers of gun violence victims are encouraging Bowie High School students to speak out after a shooting took the life of an 18-year-old on campus Wednesday.

No classes were held Thursday at Bowie High School after the fatal shooting of Etavion Barnes. Arlington ISD announced that classes would not resume until Monday, but police investigators returned to campus as they continued their investigation.

On Wednesday afternoon, Bowie High School went on lockdown around 2:50 p.m. after Barnes was shot outside near a portable classroom building.

A description of the alleged shooter was given to police, and a person matching that description was found about 20 minutes after the shooting, still on campus near the baseball field. Police say that person was later identified as 17-year-old Julian Howard, who is now in custody charged with one count of murder and possession of a controlled substance. But he has not recovered any weapon.

This latest death from gun violence brought mothers to the school who can relate to what happened.

“Another mother has lost a loved one to gun violence,” the founder of the nonprofit Mothers of Murdered Angels said outside the school. “That’s why I’m here with other mothers and supporters walking on the sidewalk.”

Hamilton’s daughter was murdered in 2018 and her grandson in 2020.

“She’s lost,” Hamilton said. “You’re lost at that point. You’re lost.”

Hamilton created the nonprofit to help others overcome what she has been through.

Hamilton asked the students to make sure they spoke.

“You see something, say something,” Hamilton said. “Even if you’re not the one being bullied. You see something, say something because it could save a child’s life. We can all work together because one person, one organization, cannot do what we have to do.”

Arlington police say Howard has not spoken to detectives, so they do not yet know what led up to the shooting.