Kinsale consented to his clients detention at a local county jail because the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has an immigration detainer on Hernandez. Out of respect for the family we are not sharing the names of the students. Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez sent an email earlier Monday morning to teachers confirming that "a few of our students were in a horrible situation last night at . One of them took a swing at him, Hernandez said. He used a Spanish-speaking interpreter to follow the proceeding, but did not speak. The District will provide updated information to staff and the District families as it is received. Tragically, the police have verified that both victims were Columbia High School students. Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8 district and MMS Social Workers and counselors will be present at MMS all day to speak with any student or staff member in need of support. "It is with a very heavy heart that we confirm there was a shooting last night with multiple victims at Underhill. Travis Gilmore, Jr., 18, is charged with murder, attempted murder, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and possession of a firearm during a violent crime, according to the Columbia Police Department. Neighbors told CBS2 off camera that recently there had been people gathering in the field doing drugs and drinking alcohol, but Sunday's incident was the first time anyone heard of any violence. "I'm not up on the exact details, but just want to acknowledge the tragedy that occurred in Maplewood [Sunday] evening in which an 18-year-old lost his life and a 17-year-old was injured," he said. Example video title will go here for this video. New Jersey Gov. ", He added, "We understand that this loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions not only for our students, but also for members of our staff and parent community. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters. It was like they put cold water over my whole body, she said. Although the younger brother was identified by his first name in court documents and during the hearing, NJ Advance Media is not identifying him since he is a minor and was not charged with a crime. Richland Two spokesperson Greg Turchetta and Richland County Sheriff's deputies said the students were involved in a fight at Ridge View High School on Hard Scrabble Road around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. The other two victims are 18 and 17-years-old. He never gave problems to anybody.. "We are saddened by the loss to our school community," Taylor wrote, "and will make every effort to help you and your child as you need. "He didnt deserve to be shot just like thatOur life is never going to be the same, never.". Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? The South-Orange Maplewood district is one of the more desired districts among families moving from New York City to the suburbs (read more). Until such time as information is received, we are making preparations for addressing the needs of our students, staff and families. This inconceivable calamity is undoubtedly a devastating blow to our students, staff and community. DeMarion Corbett, a junior at Columbia High School, was killed yesterday (April 20). Here is Superintendent Taylor's full letter: Dear South Orange & Maplewood School Community. Investigators are gathering information now so additional details are limited. According to Taylor, both victims were students of Columbia High School. At this time, out of respect for the family and due to the ongoing nature of the police investigation, we are unable to share the names of the affected students. We have to put people in jail and they have to stay in jail., #ColumbiaPDSC officers were dispatched to 3245 Lucius Road around 12:15 p.m. & found the victims. He's a really good person," neighbor Janae Allen said. 5. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens and Maplewood Police Chief Jim Duval said Monday that the incident is being investigated as a homicide, and no arrests had been made. "At this time, out of respect for the family and due to the ongoing nature of the police investigation, we are unable to share the names of the affected students. Caren Lissner , Patch Staff Posted Mon, Jun 7, 2021 at 10:59 am ET . Fofana said she wants justice. ", He added, "We have activated our emergency protocols to provide mental health support for Columbia High School, Maplewood Middle and Clinton Elementary. The nannys boyfriend was charged in the killings. Sanchez later sent an email to CHS parents confirming that the deceased student was an 11th grader, and that another student was hospitalized. Investigators were seen searching the bleachers, the field and the track for evidence Monday morning. The witness was not identified in the document and it did not indicate why they were following the person. "He . Later, Fennelly identified the student as 18-year-old CHS junior, Moussa Fofana. Phil Lipof reports. He was always so sweet, she said. Contact information for our counselors and social workers is listed on the second page of this document. He didn't release the age of the second victim but said the student was hospitalized. Taylor said some events and procedures around the high school and nearby elementary school are changed for now: Superintendent Taylor wrote, "At this time, out of respect for the family and due to the ongoing nature of the police investigation, we are unable to share the names of the affected students. The district was on all-remote learning until the last few months, a situation that frustrated some parents (read more). His public defender, Sterling Kinsale, said during a detention hearing Wednesday in Superior Court of Essex County that self-defense could apply to Hernandez. Officials have not disclosed why the two teens were at the Underhill Field sports complex, a little under a mile from the high school. When she called her son's cell phone to reach him, a police officer answered. "Dear South Orange & Maplewood School District Community," wrote Superintendent Ronald Taylor in a letter, "It is with deep regret that we inform you about a recent loss to our school community. pic.twitter.com/UmUSTVTSr5. And on April 17 a student of Lower Richland High School, Desmond Wilson, was found shot . With a police vehicles lights flashing around them, investigators worked to piece together what had happened the night before, and local residents expressed shock that a fatal shooting had occurred in what they said was a typically quiet neighborhood. Investigators want to know who shot and killed a high school student Sunday night at a sports complex in a New Jersey town. An 11th grade student from Columbia High School was killed during a shooting incident on Sunday night at Underhill Field in Maplewood, according to authorities. 2 min read. MORE: Albany man charged with attempted . The school's record on student . He was a student at Columbia High School. The shootings were carried out by Eric Harris, age 18, and Dylan Klebold, age 17. De'Marion Corbett, a Columbia High School student, was shot and killed on April 20 at Riverside Apartments. She said she had seen him earlier on Sunday and later learned of his death online. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. COLUMBIA, S.C. Deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department have a 17-year-old suspect in custody following a fight that left two 16-year-old students injured at a Richland Two high . "Instead of going all the way around, you can cut through Underhill and I guess they got into an altercation with some people," said Joe Fabiano, a classmate and friend of Fofana. In July, authorities offered a $50,000 reward for information about the deadly shooting. On April 21, the Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford identified the teenager as DeMarion Corbett, 16 of Columbia. Another 17-year-old who was with the victim, Fofana, was shot in the leg and survived, authorities said. / CBS New York. courtesy of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Rebecca Panico | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, 18-year-old high school student in Maplewood, was arrested on a murder charge last week, Moussa Fofana, a Columbia High School student, community to rally in support of his mother. Email from MMS Principal Dara Gronau at 11:13 a.m., June 7, 2021: As you learned in an earlier communication from Dr. Taylor, our community tragically lost a current CHS student who attended MMS for all three years of middle school. The pandemic may have upended his life in other ways over the past academic year, his third in high school, but it could not dim his passion for the game. We encourage you, as parents, to also feel free to use our resources. Crime scene unit cars and police officers spent Monday investigating the death of 18-year-old Moussa Fofana, who was shot inside the Maplewood complex. Hernandezs attorney said that Fofana, the second victim and a previously unreported third male who was 17 at the time and is now 18 were following Hernandezs younger 16-year-old brother in the park that night. Monitor this social media platform for updates. It was one of the deadliest school shooting incidents in American history. "If you didn't have money for lunch, he would pay for his lunch. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Out of respect for the family, currently, we are unable to share additional details of the students death. A spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office was not immediately available to comment on the report or confirm to News 4 the purported deal. She sounded stunned that someone would kill him. . Calling Fofana's death a tragedy, Gov. Fennelly confirmed the incident took place at Underhill Field, but that the time was unclear. Authorities wrote in court documents that Hernandez waived his Miranda rights and gave detectives a statement. Mental health support will be provided at the high school, as well as Maplewood Middle and Clinton Elementary. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon issued a statement. Shots were fired from the dugout, but the witness did not see who fired the shots, according to court documents. "I was very disappointed and I was very sad," she said, at one point near tears. The 17-year-old suspect is being charged as an adult. Desmond Wilson, a junior at Lower Richland High School, was killed over the weekend. We offer our sincere condolences to the family in their time of need.". There is an active homicide investigation, said Essex County Prosecutors Office Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly on Monday morning. Watch WIS News 10 at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Getty Images / David Dee. NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police arrested and charged a Newark man with the murder of Moussa Fofana, an 18-year-old who died in a shooting near Columbia High School in Maplewood. It could be a witness issue, it could be an evidence issue, it could be a certain defense being asserted by the defendant.". The 11th grader who died attended Columbia High School, and was a soccer star with an upbeat personality. On Tuesday, March 29, we received confirmation of the death of a Columbia High School (CHS) student. The District will provide updated information to staff and the District families as it is received. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The older two were taken to the hospital for treatment. Gilmore, Jr. was arrested Monday by the US Marshals Services Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force. I dont think a day went by without him playing.. COLUMBIA A pair of 17-year-old Dreher High School students have been arrested and charged as adults in the shooting death of an A.C. Flora High School senior, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott . Richland County deputies say the stabbing happened around 10 . COLUMBIA, S.C. Deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department have a 17-year-old suspect in custody following a fight that left two 16-year-old students injured at a Richland Two high school. "He was a good child and for somebody to take his life just like that and for you guys to come here and sit here and tell me you guys are going to give him 15 years in prison, that was like a slap in the face to me and my family.". The suspects is being charged as an adult and is being house at the juvenile wing of Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Our Crisis Team has been deployed to provide additional support and counseling to students and staff as needed at Columbia High and Lower Richland High. He also identified the second victim as 17 years old. Fofana starred on his high schools soccer team and his death caused the community to rally in support of his mother, Hawa Fofana. We offer our sincere condolences to the family in their time of need. Moussa was a fixture at the complex, which is several blocks from the high school. A report in RLS Media said the death occurred off school grounds. residents on Burr Road heard gunfire around 10 p.m. Maplewood Memorial Library on Track for Fall 24 Maplewoodstock Music and Arts Festival 2023 Announces Headliners. Moussa Fofana, 18, a junior at Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J., and another student were hit by gunfire on Sunday night. Crime scene unit cars and police officers spent Monday investigating the death of 18-year-old Moussa Fofana, who was shot inside the Maplewood complex. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). We will follow up with additional communication as we receive clearance from the local law enforcement and the family. Holbrook said, Its disturbing and we are sick of it. She was on her way to Pennsylvania late Monday to see Moussas father and had not told her 5-year-old son, Muhammad, about Moussas death, she said. Hundreds rallied to support Hawa Fofana, the mother of 18-year-old Moussa Fofana, during a July rally. We will follow up with additional communication as we receive clearance from the local law enforcement and the family.. All rights reserved, Jared Leto and Doja Cat Wore Outfits Very Inspired by Karl Lagerfeld's Cat, Choupette, Met Gala 2023: Start Time, Theme, Guests & Everything Else to Know, 20 Students Injured in Long Island School Bus Crash With Pickup Truck, Here's How to Watch 2023 Met Gala Celebrity Arrivals, Met Gala 2023 Live Updates: Fashion Highlights From Carpet, These Are Some of The Best Met Gala Looks in The Last Decade. We offer our sincere condolences to the family in their time of need. I have notified our County Executive Superintendent of Schools and we are activating the County Grief Counseling Services via the Traumatic Loss Coalition, to support our students and staff. Because of the situation, Ridge View and nearby Rice Creek Elementary School were put on secure status -- meaning the school day continued but no one is allowed to enter or exit the buildings. Moussa Fofana. We are also keeping the other student who was injured in our thoughts. Tragically, the police have verified that both victims were Columbia High School students. All rights reserved (About Us). "I couldn't sit here and tell you all the things that might go wrong in a criminal prosecution. It is with a very heavy heart that we confirm there was a shooting last night with multiple victims at Underhill. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Friends said Fofana and the other teen were cutting through the field to go to a friend's house to watch a late-night boxing match. MAPLEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A northern New Jersey community is mourning the loss of an 11th grade student who was fatally shot on his way to a friend's house. While there are still so many unanswered questions, we ask that everyone respect both family's privacy at this very difficult time.". Ms. Fofana, who runs a fashion and styling business in Maplewood, said she immigrated to the United States from Liberia in late 2002. The injured student was transported to a local hospital or treatment. This article has been updated at 10:03 a.m. with more information from CHS Principal Frank Sanchez, confirmed that the victim was an 11th grader, and that another student was injured. 18-year-old arrested in connection with shooting that killed Columbia High School student. High School Student Fatally Shot Near Soccer Field Where He Excelled, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/nyregion/maplewood-shooting.html, Moussa Fofana. The South Orange & Maplewood School District and CHS have a Crisis Intervention Team made up of professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents, and school personnel at difficult times such as this. A positive light in our world has dimmed, and our hearts are forever saddened., Meanwhile, Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez sent an email earlier Monday morning to teachers confirming that a few of our students were in a horrible situation last night at Underhill Field and that while authorities had not yet given specifics, it looks like a student may have died.. By approximately 11:35 a.m., Klebold and Harris had killed 12 students and a teacher and wounded more than 20 other people. Village Green will continue to update this story as we learn more. At approximately 9:38 pm on Sunday, Stephens said, Maplewood police officers were dispatched to area of Underhill Field on reports of a shooting. Phil Murphy addressed the shooting death at the start of his press briefing on Monday. #ColumbiaPDSC Update: A 16-year-old male was fatally injured during the shooting incident on Lucius Road. We are in close communication with the authorities. 'Its not something that you typically see': Unique tree carving spotted by Cordova Police Department, Local Students head to Disney World to battle out their cooking skills at the Cook Around The World Competition, May features the Moon and the celestial twins, Groundbreaking singer, activist Harry Belafonte has died, Buffalo school bus driver fired after threatening to shoot students, New Orleans senior shatters U.S. record with 125 college offers, $9 million in scholarships. Hernandez told detectives he fled the field at that point, the complaint said. No arrest (s) yet. READ MORE: 'Loss To The World': Maplewood Shooting Victim Mourned. Adams is not a student at the school, he said. He took virtual classes all morning, and then played soccer every other hour, his mother, Hawa Fofana, said. Also, all activities at Underhill field are canceled while the investigation proceeds. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. #ColumbiaPDSC officers are investigating a shooting incident at Riverside Apartments on Lucius Road. ", Taylor added, "We ask that everyone respect the familys privacy during this difficult time and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.". It may be questionable where the gun was retrieved from, Kinsale said, but Mr. Hernandez used the gun to defend both he and his brother against individuals who (he) did not know - did not know what their purpose was - and who admitted in discovery as they gave statements to the state that they pursued these individuals with no clear purpose.. Watch Maplewood Patch for more developments. With this devastating news, I have confirmed with our Board of Education that the retiree celebration scheduled for this evening will be canceled and postponed to a later date. "While I cannot comment formally on an ongoing investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office," he said, "I have been actively involved in conversations with our Maplewood Police Department and our local school district leaders since Sunday evening. A community is in mourning after a high school student was killed in Maplewood, New Jersey. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Moussa Fofana, 18, a junior at Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J., and another student were hit by gunfire on Sunday night. In addition, due to the proximity of Underhill to Clinton Elementary School and the ongoing police investigation taking place, all outdoor activities at Clinton will be canceled for the day (and/or take place indoors where necessary). COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) Richland deputies say the suspect in today's stabbing incident at Ridge View High School has been charged as an adult. Gov. The death of the popular soccer-loving student at the school led to a massive community outpouring of support, with the town's former mayor personally kicking in a substantial reward for information on the case. Our thoughts and concerns are with the families at this most difficult time. He said, Once again were going to be talking about the loss of a young person at the hands of somebody with a gun., Investigators found one victim deceased at the scene, the other two were transported to area hospitals for treatment. I was shocked.. He would just make my day 10 times better.". Adding to the shock was the crimes setting: near the New Jersey soccer field where Moussa distinguished himself as a leading scorer during his high school teams most recent season. He said there would be more information later Monday. The story was updated at 11:20 a.m. with a message from Maplewood Middle School Principal Dara Gronau. Homicides are rare in Maplewood. Moussa Fofana, 18, a junior at Maplewood's Columbia High School, was shot and killed by a stranger on June 6 while walking through the school's Underhill Sports Complex. "It's another case of gun violence in our midst, and please keep him and his memory and their families in your prayers.". The 17-year-old student is accused of stabbing a 16-year-old male several times in the upper body before running from the scene. identified the student as 18-year-old CHS junior, Moussa Fofana. "Broke my heart, first time I heard it," school crossing guard Wilbert Pitt said. This has not been confirmed by authorities. He normally stays to himself. sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters. We ask everyone to keep those school communities and the families of the two students in your thoughts and prayers., The Columbia Police Department announced theyre investigating a shooting at Riverside Apartments in the 3200 block of Lucius Rd. The Essex County Proescutor's Office said the 17-year-old student had a "non-life-threatening" gunshot wound. The complaint does not indicate who is Aleman.. Hernandez faces murder, assault and weapons charges in his death. Got news? The Essex County Prosecutors Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force has been assigned to investigate. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A teen has been arrested in . Ronald G. TaylorSouth Orange & Maplewood School District, Board of Education. 18-year-old arrested in connection with shooting that killed Columbia High School student. "Im the mother, somebody shot my son and my son was not a criminal," said Fofana. First published on August 6, 2021 / 5:22 PM. That was later lifted. We are activating the County Grief Counseling Services via the Traumatic Loss Coalition, to support our students and staff.". Moussa, 18, was dead. A second student, not identified by officials, was shot in the leg and was able to run for help. Fofana played soccer for Columbia High School in the fall. The 17-year-old suspect fled the scene in an . That has this school community in disbelief. We are sharing this information with parents and families to give you the opportunity to discuss this terrible loss with your child in a manner that feels most comfortable for your family and your child. Friends said Fofana aspired to be a professional soccer player, adding that after school he often looked after his younger brother to help his mom, who owns a business in town. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Within an hour, 18-year-old Harris and his 17-year-old partner Dylan Klebold a fellow Columbine High School student and Brown's friend since first grade were dead.