Bullet found at North Texas middle school renews concerns about nearby gun range

Northwest ISD is investigating after another bullet was found on the campus of Barksdale Middle School, less than six months after two others were discovered there.

The latest discovery has prompted the district to move bus drop-offs and outdoor activities away from parts of campus and renewed concerns about a nearby gun range.

Taylor White, a Barksdale Middle School parent, said her first reaction to the news was disbelief.

“My first thought was just, oh my gosh, it’s happening again,” White said.

White received a letter from the Northwest ISD superintendent explaining that a coach found the bullet near the end of the school day Wednesday, near the school’s tennis courts.

The discovery left White questioning how long the bullet had been on campus and whether it could have landed there while students were outside.

“When was the bullet found? How long has it been in there? Could it have, you know, landed on the property while she was outside during her gym class?” White said. “So it’s your first thought is. Just the safety of your kids”

The district said it is working with Northlake police to investigate. In the meantime, bus drop-offs and outdoor activities are being moved away from the back of campus.

Northwest ISD believes the latest bullet, along with two others found over the summer, came from the direction of Quail Creek Range, located about a mile from the school.

Gunfire from the range can be heard on campus. The range has been operating since the 1980s, before the school opened this fall.

The range is under a restraining order that limits the use of guns capable of firing bullets that could reach the school.

In an email to NBC 5, the range’s attorney disputed any suggestion of noncompliance, saying:

“We are in full compliance with the state law and guidelines. We look forward to the opportunity to examine what was found, where it was found, when it was found, and where it came from.”

For White, the latest discovery has made it harder to set aside concerns about her children’s safety.

White said she spent much of the night worrying about what might happen next.

“I was up a lot of the night just kind of tossing and turning. I’m like, Oh my gosh, what are we going to do?” White said.

White said she will soon have two children attending Barksdale Middle School. If the situation is not resolved, she said, the concern will continue to weigh on her family.

“Shortly I’m gonna have two kids in that school,” White said. “And if this doesn’t get resolved, it really is going to continue to weigh on us as a family.”

White moved to the area less than three years ago. Now, with another bullet found on school grounds, she said she is questioning whether her family may need to move again.

The situation has also left her wondering how to talk to her daughter about a danger that is difficult to anticipate or avoid.

“It’s not something that I want to have conversations with my daughter about of like, Hey, you need to be, you know, careful, but how do you be careful about, you know, straight bullets? How do you warn your kids about that?” White said.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.