RICHMOND, Va. -- What happened leading up to the June 2023 shooting that killed Huguenot High School graduate Shawn Jackson and his stepfather outside the graduation ceremony at Altria Theater in Richmond? Richmond Public Schools released the findings of a third-party investigation on Wednesday after WTVR CBS 6 News and the Richmond Times-Dispatch (RTD) sued the Richmond School Board to secure its release. You can read the report here.
This review conducted by law firm Sands Anderson made three big points in regard to security at the graduation ceremony.
- There was no discussion about any kind of security procedures or planning once people were outside the graduation.
- There were conflicting reports about where metal detectors were located and if they worked.
- The Altria Theater and its contracted security team did not cooperate with the review, posing even more questions about what happened that day.
According to the report, the Altria Theater contracted RMC Events to take the lead on personnel and security equipment inside the building during graduation.
The Richmond Public School's safety and security team provided a second layer of event security.
Richmond Police and Fire were to provide a third layer.
Page Five of the document said:
- Huguenot High School's two resource officers were not working the graduation
- Nineteen RPS Care and Safety workers attended the graduation but could not conduct searches or control metal detectors. That was RMC's job.
- RPS staffed five off-duty police officers and three off-duty Fire and EMS workers to serve as additional support for the roughly 3,600 graduation attendees
- The school system did not have a director of safety and security while planning graduation (the role was filled June 7, one day after the shooting)
There were three entrances to the Altria Theater on Graduation Day:
- A front entrance for visitors
- A entrance for graduates
- A VIP entrance
Page 15 of the report indicated the VIP entrance would be the only entrance without metal detectors but would be staffed to check credentials.
The report went on to say, "It is unknown if anyone was posted at the VIP entrance."
On the same page of the report, Huguenot Assistant Principal Kevin Monroe commented that he went through the graduates entrance wearing a belt and carrying his cell phone and the metal detector, "should have went off, but didn't."
The report also indicated there were sightings of students coming in to the building late, and conflicting reports whether or not the late-arriving students went through metal detectors.
Slain student Shawn Jackson was reportedly one of the late arriving students.
Jackson was a homebound RPS student meaning he was not supposed to be allowed on school property or at school activities because of safety and security concerns surrounding him and "ongoing mental health issues."
But Jackson did attend the June 6 ceremony.
However, according to the investigation, Jackson did not attend the graduation rehearsal because his mother and counselor thought that might be "too dangerous."
One person interviewed as part of the investigation said Jackson "probably just found a spot and jumped in line."
Despite the release of the report, much remains unclear about whether the metal detectors worked or where they were located. Others questions left to be answered include how Jackson got into the building, as the report says the Altria did not allow investigators to walk through the building, nor agree to provide video footage or any kind or allow staff to be interviewed.
Questions posed to Altria about those points have not yet been answered.
Amari Pollard was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder and use of a firearm. He is scheduled to go on trial in February.
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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