Mansfield ISD science teacher arrested, charged with shooting son, stepdaughter

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

A man is in custody after allegedly assaulting his wife and shooting his son and stepdaughter Tuesday night.

Thomas Boykin, 52, has been arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault, according to Mansfield police.

“It started as a verbal argument and escalated to where he assaulted (his wife),” said Zhivonni Cook, a Mansfield police spokesperson. “Then he took a gun and walked into his 13-year-old son’s bedroom and shot him while he was sleeping. After he shot his son, he went into his 21-year-old stepdaughter’s room and shot her as well.”

Both underwent surgery Tuesday night at Medical City of Arlington and are listed in serious but stable condition, Cook said.

The stepdaughter called 911 at approximately 10:40 p.m. Tuesday night. Officers responded within three minutes and found the teenager walking around outside the home on Arabian Court, Cook said.

“Officers immediately gained entry into the residence and took the suspect into custody without incident,” she said. “After he shot the stepdaughter, his wife was able to get out of the house and started screaming. She was at the hospital with the kids.”

Boykin, an eighth-grade science teacher at Linda Jobe Middle School, was transported to Everman Jail.

The Mansfield ISD released a statement saying “Mr. Boykin was immediately placed on leave once the district was notified of his arrest. The superintendent is moving forward with his proposed termination to the Board of Trustees for approval.”

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