Teen and Father Charged With Georgia School Shooting Appear in Court
A teenage boy and his father, who were charged with the shooting at a Georgia high school that left one student injured, appeared in court on Monday for their arraignment. The 17-year-old student, whose name is being withheld due to his age, faces charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm on school grounds. His father, 39-year-old John Doe, is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and allowing a minor access to a firearm.
The incident occurred last week at Price High School in Atlanta, Georgia, when the teen allegedly brought a gun to school and fired a shot in the hallway, striking another student in the leg. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and is said to be in stable condition.
During the court hearing, the teen and his father appeared separately before the judge. The teen, dressed in a black jumpsuit and handcuffs, was accompanied by his attorney. His father, dressed in a navy blue suit, stood silently next to his own attorney.
The prosecutor argued that the teen should be tried as an adult due to the seriousness of the charges against him. The defense attorney, however, asked for the teen to be tried as a juvenile, citing his age and lack of prior criminal history. The judge ultimately decided to move forward with the case in juvenile court.
As for the father, the prosecutor argued that he should be held accountable for allowing his son access to a firearm and failing to prevent the shooting. The defense attorney maintained that the father was not directly involved in the incident and should not face criminal charges.
The judge set bail for the teen at $100,000 and ordered him to undergo a psychological evaluation. The father was released on bail with the condition that he surrender all firearms in his possession.
The shooting at Price High School has reignited the debate over gun control and school safety measures. Many are calling for stricter gun laws and increased security measures in schools to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The teen and his father are scheduled to appear in court again next month for a preliminary hearing. In the meantime, the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the shooting and work towards healing and preventing future tragedies.