HOUSTON – A Bellaire High School student that killed another student on campus was found guilty of manslaughter, according to Bellaire Police Department Assistant Chief Onesimo Lopez. The unidentified suspect, who was 16 at the time, shot 19-year-old Cesar Cortes in the chest inside the JRTOC supply room on Jan. 14, 2020, according to officials. Cesar Cortes, 19, was fatally shot at Bellaire High School on January 14, 2020. Courtesy: Click2Houston.com (KSAT)The student and another person were arrested at a convenience store nearly four hours after the shooting. At the time, investigators said the shooting was possibly unintentional but reckless and that the suspected gunman seems to show no remorse.

On January 14th, Cesar Cortes, a senior at Bellaire High School, was shot and killed inside the school’s JROTC supply room. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, during the 2016-17 school year, there were more than three-thousand cases of kids bringing guns to schools. While exact data from 2018-2019 isn’t clear, a report from Fortune Magazine found nearly four-hundred school gun incidents reported in the media, including six in Harris County. Fortune spoke with experts who say schools aren’t properly reporting the incidents because there is no nationally enforced reporting system. “Everyone is focused on the rights they have, but not the responsibility.”Channel 2 Investigates crunched the numbers for school gun incidents in the Houston area, and Monday night at 6 p.m., we’ll talk to authorities about possible solutions, and we’ll hear from a victim of school gun violence about what needs to be done.

BELLAIRE, Texas – The mother of the teen shot and killed at Bellaire High School last week spoke with Bellaire police detectives Monday. “The whole school district, school security is the worst. "The pistol believed to be the weapon used in last Tuesday’s shooting at Bellaire High School has been recovered and is in possession of the Bellaire Police Department,” Chief Byron Holloway stated. In a Friday statement, acting Superintendent Grenita Lathan said HISD was exploring measures to increase student safety. In the days since the fatal shooting, Bellaire High School has restricted entrances and instituted bag checks, among other updated security procedures.

HOUSTON – A large number of people showed up Saturday afternoon to pay their respects and say goodbye to 19-year-old César Cortés. Cortés died Tuesday after being shot in the chest by a fellow student at Bellaire High School Tuesday, investigators said. Cortés’ funeral was at West University Baptist Church. The funeral services ended at 5 p.m when family members brought out Cortes’ casket and placed it into the hearse. While investigators have not released a motive for the shooting, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said the shooting may have been unintentional.

BELLAIRE – Emotional students and community leaders gathered at the steps of Houston Independent School District headquarters Friday night demanding action by the school board. This is after 19-year-old Cesar Cortes was shot and killed at Bellaire High School Tuesday. Students are asking the board for more transparency, not only in this case but other recent gun-related incidents on campus. The alleged shooter, a 16-year-old Bellaire High School student, has been charged with manslaughter. Students gathered at Bellaire High School Friday afternoon for a vigil to remember and honor Cortes.

HOUSTON – Two days after the shooting death of a Bellaire High School student, new school board members are sworn in at the Houston Independent School District. He was shot Tuesday when a fellow JROTC member at Bellaire High School brought a gun to school. “Parents don’t search children’s room, because the question should be, where did the gun come from? (“It’s) based on threat assessment that’s based on a plan communicating with parents,” said board member Anne Sung. “We don’t want to perpetuate the school to prison pipeline, so we don’t all of the sudden want to put up metal detectors and more police at a school,” said new board member Judith Cruz.

BELLAIRE – Classes resumed Thursday at Bellaire High School after a shooting killed a 19-year-old student, identified as Cesar Cortes. New safety guidelinesIn the wake of the shooting, school officials decided to implement some new, more stringent safety rules on the campus. Until further notice, all students will enter the building through a single-entry point, according to Bellaire High School Principal Michael McDonough. “These are initial precautions and more long-term, sustainable changes are being developed by the school safety and security committee,” McDonough said. Movements led by StudentsStudents Demand Action, a student-led group at Bellaire High School, are planning a demonstration and rally Friday at 3:30 p.m. at the HISD headquarters.

BELLAIRE, Texas – Family members identified the teenager shot and killed on Tuesday at Bellaire High School as 19-year-old Cesar Cortes. “He had no enemies, he was a good kid.”The Bellaire High School JROTC confirmed that Cortes was a member. “It’s a whirlwind for everybody.”Classes at Bellaire High School were canceled on Wednesday. Officials at the Houston Independent School District released the following statement:“HISD will cancel classes for students at Bellaire High School tomorrow, Wednesday, January 15. Bellaire High School students should report to school on Thursday, January 16.”HISD Superintendent Grenita Lanthan said the district will also provide counselors for students who were impacted by the shooting.

HOUSTON – There were four students in the room with Cesar Cortes and the accused gunman when the fatal shooting occurred at Bellaire High School Tuesday. The four students, all seniors, said the shooting happened inside the JROTC supply room in the JROTC building at Bellaire High School minutes before the 4 p.m. bell. JROTC uniforms, practice rifles and other equipment are kept in the supply room, the students said. One male witness said the accused gunman walked up to him and said: “I have something to show you. The students said the gunman walked Cesar to the door, opened the door, left Cesar on the railing of the ramp just outside the JROTC building and walked away.