On May 7, 2004, a shooting incident occurred at Randallstown High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States ¹. Here are the key details about the shooting ² ³:
Incident:
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A charity basketball game was organized at the school, which was attended by about 300 students.
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After the game, a car with four people inside pulled up to the school, and the driver and a passenger got out and started shooting at the students.
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Four students were shot, and three of them suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The fourth victim, William “Tippa” Thomas III, was left paralyzed from the waist down.
Suspects:
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The suspects were identified as Matthew McCullough and Tyrone D. Brown.
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McCullough had been sent home from school earlier that week after an argument in the cafeteria but returned to the school before the shooting.
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Both suspects were later convicted and sentenced to prison terms of 100 and 50 years, respectively.
Lawsuit and Verdict:
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William Thomas III filed a lawsuit against the suspects, Baltimore County, two police officers, and the school board, seeking $140 million in damages.
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In 2013, the court awarded Thomas more than $21 million in damages, including $10 million in punitive damages from each of the suspects and $325,000 in noneconomic damages.
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The verdict also allowed Thomas to appeal an earlier decision that threw out his case against Baltimore County, the police officers, and the school board.
Aftermath:
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The incident raised concerns about school safety and security measures.
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The school board and administrators faced criticism for not having adequate security in place during the event.
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The incident led to increased security measures in schools, including the presence of school resource officers and security cameras.
