Sad News of Shooting Victim’s Passing:-
Once again this afternoon, I regret to be standing here again with the unfortunate news as we broke from the last press conference, I was informed that our victim in this case did not survive the shooting. We have taken from that time to now to catch up to family members in order to make notifications. So that’s why we’ve held this for just a bit in the um bringing y’all back together. Uh The family was just notified within the last half hour at the hospital. Our 15 year old shooting victim was transported to John Hopkins in Baltimore.
Victim Identified as Curtis Grant:-
The victim is Curtis Grant M Warren Curtis Grant. Uh again a 15 year old student at the school, uh lived in the Edgewood area of our community. We are not still releasing the name of the suspect in this case. He is, as I said, a 16 year old uh also a student at the school.
Suspect’s History and Investigation:-
And at the time, uh those charges are preferred as an adult, we will release the name of the suspect. It was asked earlier prior Bob and just a quick search of the compu the C ad, the computer aided dispatch system that the sheriff’s office uses.Since 2022, the Harford County sheriff’s office has been involved in more than ten incidents in which the suspect was either a victim witness or the suspect.
But I, again, I caution other than that little tidbit of information, this investigation is very active and very early on. I do want to uh uh compliment once again, all of our first responders from law enforcement, from public safety des uh emergency services, fire, police, fire and uh uh medics and uh the school system.
Heroic Actions of Students and Staff:-
And Again, in this instance, the 15 year old victim again who is sadly now deceased uh was removed from the bathroom by other students and quickly quickly attended to uh by the staff at JPA Town High School, including the principal Linda Melissa Williams. I apologize who’s gonna make a few comments to you. Um Her, her along with the uh SRO were among the first to reach this young man after other students and, and you, you know, gave him the best opportunity to survive this horrible incident.
Principal’s Statement on the Loss:-
And sadly, a again, we bring you back together to let you know he has succumbed to his injuries. So I’m gonna let uh Mr Williams make a few comments and then I will take a limited amount of questions. Our thoughts and prayers are first and foremost directed toward the amazing young man’s family, friends, staff, and students.
JPA Town is a loving and strong community who will without a doubt rally among our families, support one another and continue to support our community and all of our families. I want to thank our amazing staff as well. We are one town and we are jow, thank you. I just wanted to follow up a couple of pieces of information.
Support for Students and Staff:-
So we obviously are going to support the sheriffs off in the investigation any way we possibly can when our staff and students return to the school, we will have a great deal of support available for them. We don’t yet have a final decision on exactly how we will approach things Monday, but our community just needs to stay tuned.
We’ll announce something to them no later than tomorrow. But again, my condolences to the family friends and you know, everyone connected with this young man and thanks to our incredible staff who worked through this, this was a very difficult thing for them and I know they’re struggling at this time. And I also one additional.
Thanks to Community Partners:-
I didn’t mention earlier to a good Shepherd Presbyterian church. They were our reunification site and you know, it’s great, it’s important to have partners like them when things happen. So again, Thank you. Thank you. And with that, I, I know Senator JB Jennings has joined us. Uh, everyone else was here for the earlier press conference.
Senator and Sheriff’s Remarks:-
I just wanna again stress my appreciation as the sheriff here in Hartford County for all of our public safety partners and the incredible response. I, I wish we were sitting here talking about a better outcome for the young man. And with that, I’ll take any questions, I’d like to ask Williams. She was the first to the I believe the first administrator.
So we’re gonna miss Williams not take any questions. Um But I think what they shared the SRO and the administrative shoot her office is right near where the student. Uh I wanted to ask her what she encounter. Yeah, we’ll give her a little bit of time to follow up. Yeah, but she was there with the students.
Legal Proceedings and Further Investigation:-
Sure what you have, Curtis Cu RT is oh, I apologize. First name is Warren Waren. Curtis cu RT is grant grant and again, a 15 year old student at the school and uh Edgewood community member, Sheriff, do you talk about? I know that the State Attorney’s office but, you know, in a case like this, I think we’ll see charges relatively soon.
Probably this evening or tomorrow at the latest, but the investigation doesn’t end as soon as someone’s charged. Yeah, we’re familiar in Rachel Warren case that investigation continues as they all do. Uh even up to preparing it for court. So it’ll be a long ongoing investigation. I couldn’t give you a timeline overall.
Final Words About the Victim:-
How long that will take about an hour ago? That it has not. Ok. Thank you all again. I wish we were bringing you back together for better news. A sad day for our county and the thoughts and prayers of the sheriff’s office. And I think everybody standing behind me are with the family of this young man who, who tragically and should not happen, lost his life in one of our schools.
Can you shed some light for the community outside of Jaffa town? What kind of student this was? And, and how he’ll be remembered. I know a little bit about the suspect. I don’t know about the victim at this point in time. Ok. All right. Thank you all very much.