Knoxville Police say that Jamar Siler, 15, has been charged with
one count of first degree murder. He is the suspect in the Central
High School shooting, in Knoxville Tennessee.
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A teen student died Thursday morning
after he was shot at Central High School on Jacksboro Pike shortly
before school started. Another teen boy is charged with his murder.
The Knox County School System, police department and
sheriff's office are holding a joint news conference on the
shooting at 5:00 p.m. at the Andrew Johnson building downtown.
Suspect
The teen shooting suspect is Jamar B. Siler, 15. He was taken
into custody six minutes after the incident at 8:17 as he was
walking three blocks away on Doughty Drive and a gun was taken from
him. A sheriff's deputy spotted him.
Siler is charged with charged with first degree murder and
violating his probation. He was on probation for an incident on
March 31.
Siler was held at the police department and then transferred
to the juvenile detention facility.
Police haven't said what type of gun they recovered or what
they think the motive was.
Investigators questioned some of the students who witnessed
the shooting Thursday afternoon at the police department.
Public defender Mark Stephens has been appointed to represent
Siler. Stephens also represents Jim Adkisson, the suspect in the
deadly July
shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
The defense doesn't know yet if they'll ask for a mental
evaluation.
The prosecution has 10 days to file a motion to try Siler as
an adult.
Victim *
Ryan McDonald, 15, was taken to UT Medical Center where he
died. Police say they received confirmation of his death at 8:57.
A vigil will be held for McDonald at 8:30 Thursday night at
1215 Delaware Avenue, where he lived with his grandmother.
Shooting details
Police say one shot was fired at 8:11 a.m. in the cafeteria.
The victim and suspect knew each other and had a previous argument.
Police describe the shooting as "not being random."
Officers reached the school two minutes after the shooting.
They first received word from a sheriff's officer whose daughter is
a student at Central High. She contacted her father, who alerted
other authorities.
Some students were eating breakfast in the cafeteria when the
shooting happened. It's a place where students gather before
classes start.
A student who was in the cafeteria told 6 News he heard what
sounded like a thump or a pop and didn't realize there had been a
shooting. He said some students rushed to help the victim.
Another student said some people were running and screaming
right after the shooting and staff members directed them to go to
classrooms and stay there.
Police are reviewing video from the school security cameras.
Superintendent Jim McIntyre extended his condolences to
everyone affected by the shooting, which he calls a "terrible
tragedy" and an "isolated incident."
*
In response to assignment:
iReport for CNN