Omaha school shooting began with a fight between 2 boys, court documents say
OMAHA, Nebraska — The shooting that a 15 year old seriously injured A physical altercation between two boys at an Omaha high school began Tuesday, with one of them using a gun hidden in his hoodie to shoot the other in the stomach, court documents show.
The 14-year-old suspect appeared in court Wednesday afternoon and was charged as an adult with first-degree assault, two weapons charges and tampering with evidence. He was arrested a few blocks from Omaha’s Northwest High School about a half-hour after the shooting was reported just after noon.
According to court documents, a security camera at the school showed the victim approaching the suspect before the fight began. The suspect had his right hand in the pocket of his hoodie before firing once, causing the victim to fall to the ground. The video showed the suspect holding the gun before putting it back in his pocket and leaving.
Police seized the weapon they believe was used in Tuesday night’s shooting after canvassing the neighborhood around the high school.
The shooting victim remains in stable condition Wednesday at an Omaha hospital, but Officer Michael Pecha said it’s not yet clear if his injuries are still life-threatening because he will undergo more surgeries.
The defendant’s attorney, Douglas County Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Westhoff, said the teen’s mother told police he was the target of “ongoing and excessive bullying” at school and that she was working to have him transferred to another school.
“This is not a random act,” Westhoff said of the shooting, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “I believe this 14-year-old (was) dealing with serious school issues prior to the alleged acts.”
Public Prosecution Service officials did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press on Wednesday afternoon.
Bail was set at $275,000, and if his family could pay the bail, the suspect would be required to wear a GPS monitor. He is scheduled to return to court on October 16 for a preliminary hearing.
The shooting sent students running from Northwest High School before authorities locked down the school. After police secured the building, students were gradually released to their families Tuesday afternoon. Classes at the school were canceled Wednesday.
Omaha police said several threats were made on social media to other area schools following Tuesday’s shooting. Investigators do not believe any of the threats were credible, but based on what police have learned, a 14-year-old student was given a lengthy suspension, an 11-year-old was arrested and a 13-year-old was cited for their role in sending threats. More arrests are expected.
The Omaha shooting followed last week’s Georgia school shooting in which two teachers and two students were killed in the city of Winder. Another teacher and eight more students were injured.
The attack was one of dozens of school shootings in the US in recent years, including the particularly deadly one in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; And Uvalde, Texas.