A Texas school district is taking legal action against a nearby outdoor shooting facility after stray bullets struck buildings on one of its campuses this summer. Northwest Independent School District filed a lawsuit against the Quail Creek Gun Range, located in Northlake, Texas, following multiple projectile impacts at the newly constructed Floyd Barksdale Middle School. According to coverage from FOX 4 News, a Texas judge sided with the school system, placing restrictions on the shooting range’s operations just days before students are scheduled to attend school.
When Suburban Growth Collides With Longstanding Gun Ranges
Northlake has a lot of new development, but the Quail Creek Gun Range has operated at its location since 1980. That coexistence is now the subject of a legal showdown over student safety.
The conflict came to a head this summer as crews prepared the Floyd Barksdale Middle School campus, situated 1.2 miles away from the range. Staff found a bullet hole and shattered glass in a window alongside the brick exterior of the school building across May and July, according to Northwest ISD. With the first day of the academic year looming, district administrators decided judicial intervention was necessary.
Legal Maneuvers and Immediate Court Restrictions
A Texas judge issued a restraining order that places limits on specific categories of bullets and firearms capable of reaching the distance of the school, responding to the legal pressure. According to FOX 4 News, the range’s firing line faces north toward the school. Although the property features bullet-stopping berms, the district reports that the owner of the gun range informed them that a shooter could potentially elevate a weapon sufficiently to fire past those barriers.
District leadership has been careful to frame the lawsuit as a safety precaution. In a letter to parents, Northwest ISD officials clarified their position. As noted in district statements provided to FOX 4 News, “Northwest ISD has no intention of attempting to shut down the gun range, we are merely ensuring that reasonable safety standards are met for the protection of our students, staff and community.” The district’s statement said that if the gun range implements appropriate safety measures, it can resume all operations.
Next Steps and the Path to Permanent Resolution
Fox 4 News reports that a court hearing on the injunction is scheduled for August 20. The owner has not yet provided a reply, as FOX 4 previously contacted the facility to ask for a statement and continues to await an answer.
As families prepare to send children to the new middle school, the incident highlights the friction points that emerge when civic infrastructure and recreational firearm facilities occupy overlapping spaces. The upcoming August 20 hearing will address the injunction.
