Jury selection begins for trial of Joppatowne High School shooting suspect
Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of a 16-year-old student charged with fatally shooting a classmate at Joppatowne High School.
The teen is being charged as an adult for the killing of 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant. He was previously denied bail, with prosecutors arguing he remains a danger to the community.
The shooting happened on September 6, 2024, just after 12:30 p.m.
Joppatowne High student shot and killed
Witnesses said two students were fighting inside the men's bathroom at Joppatowne High School when the 16-year-old allegedly grabbed a gun from his backpack - before shooting Grant, who died from his injuries.
After the shooting, the suspect fled the school but was arrested in a nearby neighborhood after residents reported a suspicious person, according to police.
The teen faces charges of first- and second-degree murder, assault, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm as a minor.
Classes at the school were canceled on Sep. 20 to allow students and staff to attend Grant's funeral.
Community reacts to fatal shooting, demands security changes
After the shooting, community members, along with members of the Harford County Board of Education, called for the resignation of the Harford County Public Schools superintendent and other board members.
An online petition demanding security improvements also surfaced after the incident. The petition called for school leaders to install metal detectors and require clear backpacks at all HCPS schools.
A parent told WJZ that children signed the petition, "pleading for safety and to feel safe again."
In Dec. 2024, the Harford County Government and the Harford County Board of Education announced a plan to allocate funding for security improvements at Harford County schools, including advanced weapon detection systems and other electronic upgrades, and more School Resource Officers (SROs).
At Joppatowne High, students were temporarily prohibited from bringing backpacks and bookbags to school.
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