A grieving North Carolina mother appealed to other parents to urge their children 'to put down their guns' after her own teenage...
A grieving North Carolina mother appealed to other parents to urge their children 'to put down their guns' after her own teenage son was shot and killed at school on Wednesday.
The victim of North Carolina's second school shooting in three days was identified as William Chavis Renard Miller Jr, a student at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr.
The gunman was taken into custody hours later. Law enforcement officials arrested the suspect without incident.
The suspect, an unnamed 15-year-old boy, so far has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and weapons offenses.
William Chavis Renard Miller Jr (left and right) was shot and killed by a classmate at their Winston-Salem, North Carolina, high school on Wednesday
A North Carolina high school student was shot dead by a fellow student at lunchtime Wednesday - the second school shooting in the state in three days
A Forsyth County Sheriff directs law enforcement officers on the scene at Mount Tabor High School Wednesday
During a press conference on Thursday, which was attended by North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper, a visibly shaken Sheriff Kimbrough relayed a message from Miller's mother, Shannon Clark, urging other parents to tell their children they loved them.
'I didn't get a chance to tell my baby I love him,' Clark was quoted as saying.
Kimbrough added that the victim's mother, who he said has been crying since getting the tragic news yesterday, also asked him 'tell the mothers to tell their babies to put their guns down because it's senseless.'
Law enforcement officials and Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill refused to answer any questions about the facts of the case, citing an ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, relatives and friends have been leaving messages of love and support on Clark's Facebook page by the dozens.
'No Mother should have to bury their child,' one supporter wrote. 'My heart goes out to you & your Family.'
Members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol talk in a shopping center parking lot in Winston-Salem. The troopers were part of the law enforcement response to the shooting
Law enforcement officers search the Foxhall neighborhood behind Mount Tabor High School during the hunt for the gunman
Parents were overcome with emotion as they arrived to be reunited with their children following the deadly school shooting
Azucena and Raul Tavira hold one another as they wait to see how to meet with their children, Ariana and Alan Jaimes-Tavira
Kiwannie James Sr. wipes his eyes as he waits to get word about his son, Kiwannie James Jr, near the intersection of Polo Road and Petree Road in Winston-Salem
Another message read: 'That could have been my son at that school today…. I am so sorry Shannon Clark.'
Winston-Salem Schools Superintendent Tricia McManus said of Miller that 'he was a great kid and very much loved by his parents and teachers.'
Miller, pictured as a younger boy, is survived by his mother and three siblings
Miller is survived by his mother and three siblings, including an older sister, a younger brother and a baby sister.
This is not the first time that the family has been impacted by gun violence.
When Miller was just a baby, his father and namesake, William Chavis Miller, was killed in a shootout in Winston-Salem January 2006. He was 22 years old.
According to court documents, the elder Miller was ambushed and shot in retaliation for an earlier incident, in which he had allegedly opened fire from an AK-47 on a rival.
During a press update on Wednesday, Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson gave a rundown of afternoon's events but had to stop and collect herself after she said, 'A student was found with a gunshot wound.'
The chief struggled to get the words out. 'He succumbed to his injuries.'
Kimbrough Jr. said, 'I haven't cried in awhile, but I haven't stopped crying since I left the hospital ... While I'm sad, I'm sure mad as hell.'
He had an emotional talk with Miller Jr.'s mom at the hospital.
'She said, "Mr. Kimbrough, my baby." I told her I was going to do everything I could to find who's responsible for this,' Kimbrough Jr. said.
'I wasn't going to give his name. My first responsibility is to the family in times like this, and she said, "Say his name."'
Police said they don't know the shooter's motive or what led up to the shooting.
Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson gave a rundown of events of the afternoon, but she had to stop and collect herself after she said, 'A student was found with a gunshot wound.' The chief struggled to get the words out. 'He succumbed to his injuries'
Parents and community members of Winston-Salem, North Carolina hold hands as they pray for this situation
Anxious parents stand in the parking lot of a shopping center in Winston-Salem after the school shooting
A student's parent - Tracy Bush - spoke to DailyMail.com while she waited to be reunited with her daughter.
'I turned into the mom from "Terms of Endearment" - I started screaming and crying, telling them I'm not leaving without my daughter,' Bush told DailyMail.com after she first got to the school.
'Other parents were doing the same thing. They let some of us in but nobody is with their kid.'
'Everyone here is safe,' Bush told DailyMail.com at 3:10pm.
'Parents are in one area in the office hall, and students are on lockdown thru the school. Sheriff's officers are here, and they keep checking to make sure the doors are locked.'
There's a large police presence including multiple agencies outside of the Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Wednesday afternoon
The suspect remains on the loose. Police are still on scene around Mount Tabor High School
Around 2:40pm - there was a 'disturbance' at Harris Teeter, where parents were told gather to pick up their kids.
There were reports that parents saw the suspect running through the area and chased after him. That was around 2:40pm.
About an hour later, police officers and school officials lifted the lockdowns and started reunifying students with their parents.
Meanwhile, frantic parents seeking information sifted through rumors before the lockdowns were lifted shortly before 4pm.
'Give us a chance to give you the facts,' Kimbrough Jr. said. 'There are many rumors spreading. We are committed to being transparent and will share confirmed information as appropriate.'
This is the second school shooting in North Carolina this week.
On Monday, a 15-year-old was arrested and accused of shooting a fellow student during a brawl at New Hanover High School in Wilmington - about 240 miles Northwest of Mount Tabor High School.
The suspect was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. The victim from that shooting is in stable condition.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said, 'We must do more to keep our kids safe at school, including keeping guns out of the wrong hands with universal background checks.'
One student was shot at Mount Tabor High School in North Carolina on Wednesday
Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying, 'For the second time this week, we have seen a shooting in a North Carolina school.'
'Our prayers are with the victims, their families and all the students of Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem,' the governor said.
'I have been briefed by law enforcement, and the Department of Public Safety is ready to provide any support necessary.
'We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehend the shooter and keep guns off school grounds.'
State Sen. Paul Lowe, whose district includes the Mount Tabor High School, said he's 'disheartened' after hearing about shooting.
'My thoughts and prayers are with the staff, students and families of Mount Tabor High School and our Forsyth County Community,' Lowe said.
'While the situation remains fluid and the shooter remains at large, I encourage all to listen to local authorities and remain safe.'
No comments