Photo: MicheleMidnight / Shutterstock
"They failed my child."
By Alice Kelly — Written on Sep 02, 2021
The mother of a 15-year-old arrested after a shooting at New Hanover High School is speaking out.
The shooting left one student injured at the Wilmington, North Carolina high school but the mother of the alleged shooter says her son is also a victim of failures in the school system.
What happened in the New Hanover High School shooting?
The accused shooter allegedly opened fire in a crowded corridor in New Hanover High on Monday, August 30 — prompting an evacuation.
The teen was later arrested and charged with carrying and discharging a weapon on school grounds, attempted first-degree murder, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflict serious injury.
The victim of the shooting was taken to hospital but is expected to make a full recovery.
The accused shooter’s mother says her son was being targeted.
The teen’s mother claims her son, who had recently transferred from Laney High School due to safety concerns, was living in fear at his new school.
Prior to the shooting, he was suspended for 10 days after an 18-year-old tried to fight him on the school grounds.
She says the 18-year-old was not a student and was not supposed to be on the New Hanover campus.
Her son’s suspension was reduced to 5 days and he returned to school on the day of the shooting.
The teen was allegedly jumped before the shooting.
On the day of the shooting, she says she was fearful about leaving her son alone in the school and circled the campus several times to make sure he was OK.
“I didn’t feel comfortable,” she said. “I didn’t feel right leaving him there like this.”
Later, she claims she received a message from her older son saying that he had learned of a planned attack on the teen via Snapchat.
Some students were allegedly planning to jump her son, saying he didn’t belong at New Hanover High School and needed to go back to his side of town.
Her husband went to the school but when his son assured him everything was fine, he left.
In a GoFundMe established to raise funds to fight for her son’s release, the mother claims video footage shows her son and a friend were attacked by another group.
She says they, “had to fight non stop with no assistance, no help from any of the school officials and resource officers. Not one teacher or adult around to help to stop the beating.”
She did not comment on whether or how her son allegedly had a gun at the school but said a judge would decide.
The teen was arrested at home after the New Hanover shooting.
His mom recalled that police came to the family’s home after the incident and asked about her son.
After she called him and told him to come home, he was arrested. She says she encouraged him to cooperate and be respectful.
The teen is now being held in a juvenile detention center and is awaiting legal proceedings.
The alleged shooter’s mom says New Hanover High School failed her son.
She claims protection should have been provided to her son after the fight that occurred nearly two weeks ago.
“He is being labeled as an adult who attempted to murder a minor by the very school officials that assured him he was safe but did nothing to protect him as seen in all the videos,” she wrote on GoFundMe.
“We have to stand up for our children. I will stand up for mine and I will not allow anyone to tarnish his image,” she said.
Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.