Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - On Wednesday, the results of a third-party investigation into Richmond Public Schools’ handling of the June 6 Huguenot High School graduation shooting was released.
The 32-page report – which was released after a judge ruled in favor of local media outlets’ lawsuit demanding its release – outlines several failures from school and security staff leading up to the shooting that left 18-year-old Shawn Jackson and his stepfather Lorenzo Smith dead.
The accused shooter, Amari Pollard, was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder and use of a firearm. He is scheduled for a five-day jury trial, beginning Feb. 26, 2024.
According to the report, there was no discussion about security procedures or planning once people were outside the graduation. There were also security deficiencies, specifically with an inadequate ratio of security personnel to attendees. As a result, there were multiple reported incidents in which students entered the Altria Theatre without being screened by security.
Additionally, Jackson had not been authorized to attend the graduation ceremony due to security risks that school staff had been aware of since as early as 2021. These concerns were not communicated with other school and security staff prior to the graduation ceremony.
Staff members told investigators they were unaware of the school district’s policy requiring approval from the principal to allow homebound students like Jackson to attend the graduation ceremony, the report said.
For a full breakdown of the investigation and the findings of the report from our partners at 8News, click here.
