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Accused Elementary School Shooter Appears in Court; SoCo Won't Cancel Events Over HB2

The 14-year-old accused of shooting and killing his father, then driving to Townville Elementary School and wounding two students and a teacher, has been charged as a juvenile with murder and three counts of attempted murder.

 

He appeared in court Friday afternoon wearing a yellow jumpsuit without any restraints. A judge allowed media into the courtroom for the hearing, which was the first court appearance of the accused gunman since the shooting on Wednesday.

 

The teen is accused of killing his father at their home, then driving a pickup truck to the nearby elementary school and opening fire. Two children and a teacher were struck by the bullets. All three survived, but one of the students, a 6-year-old boy, is on life support at nearby hospital, according to the Greenville News. The family says the child sustained a major brain injury due to the amount of blood he lost after being shot in the leg.

 

As of Friday afternoon, online donors have given more than $100,000 to help the family of the 6-year-old through a 'GoFundMe" page set up by a friend of the family. A note from the person who established the fundraising drive, Travis Paige, says the boys parents have to miss work to be with him in the hospital and need financial assistance.

 

Southern Conference Will Not Cancel NC Games Over House Bill 2

 

The Southern Conference released a statement Friday saying it will keep four league championships in North Carolina despite its opposition to "legislation that discriminates against any individual."

 

Earlier this month, the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference withdrew championships from North Carolina in response to House Bill 2, which critics have called discriminatory toward LGBT people. In its statement posted to the athletic conference's website, Southern Conference says it will honor the commitments it made, and keep men’s soccer in Greensboro, men’s and women's basketball in Asheville and men’s golf in Pinehurst.

 

The statement added that the league will monitor developments about North Carolina’s law, which requires transgender people to use restrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates.

 

Prison Staff Attacked By Inmates

 

Four staff members at a prison in Polkton, North Carolina are recovering after inmates attacked them on Thursday. Two supervisors were stabbed, and another two correctional officers were injured by an attack with a broom handle.

 

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety says all four were brought to a hospital, and are expected to recover. The NCDPS says the high security section of Lanesboro Correctional Institution has been placed on lockdown as officials investigate. Three inmates are being questioned.

 

Nick de la Canal is an on air host and reporter covering breaking news, arts and culture, and general assignment stories. His work frequently appears on air and online. Periodically, he tweets: @nickdelacanal