A Black teen who says he was “tired of being picked on” was shot by a cop after he allegedly brought a pellet gun to school.
According to Associated Press, 18-year-old Tyrone Smith of Wisconsin allegedly pointed a pellet gun at another student’s head at Waukesha South High School last week. Smith was 17 at the time. A school resource officer managed to clear students out of the classroom. Then A Waukesha police officer came into the room and shot Smith. Cops say Smith pointed the gun at officers.
According to the complaint, Waukesha Police Officer Brady Esser, an 11-year veteran, said to Smith: “I need you to take your hands out of your pockets very slowly with nothing in your hands, OK man?” Esser told a detective he commanded Smith to remove his hands slowly from his sweatshirt pocket, but Smith removed his hands quickly and was holding a gun, according to the complaint. Esser let off three shots, striking Smith. “Sgt. Esser stated he feared for his life and was forced to shoot,” the complaint read.
Smith denied bringing guns to school before this incident and he explained to investigators he was “tired of being picked on by other students,” according to the complaint. Smith said that he wanted to scare students who had bullied him or might bully him in the future. He said he hoped “other kids would hear about this and be scared,” according to the complaint.
“Smith concluded by saying that he was sorry, and he knew it was wrong to bring a gun to school and he would not do it again,” the complaint read.
Smith was charged as an adult with several charges including second-degree recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer and dangerous weapons on school premises. He’s eligible for a public defender and an attorney hasn’t been assigned to him yet. He is scheduled back in court on Dec. 17.
A day following the Waukesha school shooting, another shooting went down at Oshkosh West High School. Resource Officer Mike Wissink shot and wounded a 16-year-old student on December 3 after the kid stabbed him in his office. Wissink was released from hospital care on Monday and received a police escort to the school, where he was welcomed with cheers from students and residents, according to Fox 11 News. No charges have been filed in this case yet.
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