Safe and Secure At Central High

A 21-year-old man has been charged in connection with a shooting Friday near Central High School.

Joseph Allen Wells has been charged with aggravated assault, burglary and a parole violation.

Both the suspect and the victim ran into Central High School following the shooting, and the school is taking action to prevent something like that from happening again.

The shooting scared parents and showed administrators that anything can happen in an instant.

Cental High School Principal, Pat Lambert said, ”As administrators you hope it never happens, but we're trained to be prepared for anything.”

When the two men entered the school through the front doors they ran right past the receptionist.

“She said he ran in yelling please help me and the other one ran in behind him in pursuit,” said Lambert.

The surveillance video shows the victim running to the gym and the suspect running out of the schoolyard.

Now there are changes on campus.

There are two gated entrances to the school, both with a security guard and a lock. After Friday, the principal says it only made sense to put one security guard at the front entrance and shut down the other gate.

“She has very strict orders, no one enters until they go through the process,” said Lambert.

One security guard will now patrol the front entrance to Central. Whether she's greeting parents or checking identification, she'll be a presence in addition to BISD Police.

She's the first line of defense for the school before anyone can get inside.

They still have to sign in with the receptionist before entering the halls.

“It'll distract anyone from ever attempting to do that again,” she said.

Principal Lambert said it's a lesson learned for the school, and she feels they were fortunate nothing more serious happened.

She is also hoping to get additional security cameras for the campus and is expected a third security guard to be assigned to the school.