OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The shooting that critically injured a 15-year-old at an Omaha high school Tuesday began with a physical fight between two boys before one used a gun hidden inside his hoodie to shoot the other in the stomach, according to court documents.
The 14-year-old suspect appeared in court Wednesday afternoon and was charged as an adult with first-degree felony assault, two weapons charges and tampering with evidence. He was arrested a few blocks away from Omaha’s Northwest High School about half an hour after the shooting was reported just after midday.
Court documents say a security camera at the school showed the victim approach the suspect before the fight began. The suspect had his right hand inside the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt before firing once and the victim dropped to the ground. The video showed the suspect holding the gun before putting it back in his pocket and leaving.
Police recovered the gun they believe was used in the shooting Tuesday evening after searching the neighborhood around the high school.
The victim of the shooting remained in stable condition Wednesday at an Omaha hospital, but Officer Michael Pecha said it wasn’t immediately clear whether his injuries could still be life-threatening because he faces additional surgeries.
The suspect’s attorney, Douglas County Assistant Public Defender Benjamin Westhoff, said the teen’s mother told police that he was a target of “continued and excessive bullying” at school and she was in the process of trying to move him to a different school.
“This isn’t a random act,” Westhoff said of the shooting, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “I believe this 14-year-old (was) dealing with some serious schooling issues leading up to the alleged acts.”
Officials at the public defender’s office didn’t immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press Wednesday afternoon.
Bond was set at $275,000, and if his family was able to post bond the suspect would be required to wear a GPS monitor. He is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 16.
The shooting sent students running at Northwest High School before officials locked the school down. Once police secured the building, students were gradually released to their families classroom by classroom Tuesday afternoon. Classes at the school were canceled on Wednesday.
The Omaha Police Department said several threats to other area schools were made on social media after Tuesday’s shooting. Investigators don’t believe any of those threats were credible, but based on what police uncovered a 14-year-old student received a long-term suspension, an 11-year-old was arrested and a 13-year-old was ticketed for their role in sending threats. Additional arrests are expected.
The Omaha shooting followed last week’s school shooting in Georgia that killed two teachers and two students in the town of Winder. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded.
The attack was among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas.
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