OAN Staff Avril Elfi
Saturday, September 7, 2024 12:03 PM
Updated 12:50pmThe 16-year-old suspect, identified as Jaylen LaShawn Prince, has been charged with murder, first- and second-degree assault and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony/violent crime.
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Prince is currently being held in the Harford County Detention Center and is scheduled to make his first appearance before a judicial officer.
A 16-year-old boy has been taken into custody after allegedly shooting and killing a 15-year-old boy during an “altercation” in a boys' bathroom at Joppatowne High School in Joppa, Maryland.
Warren Curtis Grant, 15, was shot by another student on Friday and was removed from the bathroom by students while the principal and school nurse were responding, Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said.
The boy was taken by helicopter to a trauma center but died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
The sheriff said the 16-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released, fled the school and into a nearby home, and with the help of area residents, he was arrested “within minutes.”
Gahler said the shooting happened on the suspect's first day of school.
The sheriff said the gun has not yet been found, but it appears that only one shot was fired during the incident.
He continued that authorities did not know what the disagreement was about.
Authorities said police have responded to previous calls about the juvenile and are aware of the suspect.
“Since 2022, there have been over 10 cases where this suspect was either a victim, a witness or a suspect,” Gahler said.
More than 100 police officers rushed to the scene.
“We're just devastated to be part of a terrible group of schools that have experienced something like this,” said Shawn Bulson, superintendent of Harford County Public Schools. “We're going to work with the community and do everything we can to make sure this never happens again.”
The sheriff said the juvenile will be charged as an adult, but the motive is unclear.
“This suspect is 16 years old and we are not currently allowed to speak with him, so we are trying to provide our detectives with information as to why they are not allowed to question a suspect in this case,” Gahler said. “We have spoken with the state attorney and there is enough information that he will be charged in connection to the shooting without even having to be interviewed. I would say the evidence is overwhelming, but the investigation is ongoing.”
This comes just days after 14-year-old Colt Gray killed four people and injured nine others in a school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia on September 4.Number.
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