Philly students shoot at Neshoba players

Three Philadelphia High School students have been charged with aggravated assault after allegedly shooting at Neshoba Central football players with pellets and BBs during football practice Thursday sending one of the players to the hospital with minor injuries, the authorities said.

All three have been charged as juveniles, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark, because they are between the ages of 14 and 15. 

Clark said investigators considered the charges carefully after a CO2-charged BB pistol and two powerful pellet rifles were recovered. He said the weapons were suitable for small game hunting and capable of of causing bodily harm.

“I would say these weapons were capable of serious bodily injury,” Clark said.

Clark said the students did not immediately say why they fired toward the football players.

“It was really just mischief,” Clark said.

Clark said his office received the call about 12:15 p.m. on Thursday that some football players had been struck with something on the practice field.

They responded quickly because they had units in the area and a school resource officer on campus. Philadelphia Police units also responded to the scene.

One of the football players was taken to the hospital where it was determined he had a pellet lodged behind his collarbone, Clark said. 

While law enforcement commenced their search, school district officials declared a “soft lockdown” for the campus at 12:40 p.m. on Facebook saying:

“The NCSD is currently in a soft lockdown which means no one is outside and we are having our normal schedule in the building. There was a suspect in the woods by the football practice fields that shot a pellet rifle towards our players. Students are safe. Local law enforcement is working to find the suspect. We will let you know when the soft lockdown is lifted.”

Clark said they determined the projectiles came from a wooded area on the west side of campus near the practice field. A PPD K9 unit lead officers to a residence on Valley View Drive.

At the residence one of the juveniles confessed to the incident and CO2 charged BB pistol was recovered. Two other juveniles were quickly located at a house on Pleasant Valley Drive, which Clark said is closer to Neshoba Central’s campus.

At the Pleasant Valley house two powerful pellet rifles were recovered.

The school district gave an all-clear at 1:01 p.m., saying, “Law enforcement had given us the go ahead to cancel soft lockdown. All students and staff are safe.”

About an hour later they issued a statement that said: “The NCSD would like to thank our School Resource Officer, NC Sheriff’s Dept, and the Philadelphia PD for an outstanding response today! We greatly appreciate you! All 3 suspects have been apprehended and charged.”

Clark said he was pleased with the response.

“We had a good response,” Clark said. “This is a testament to these guys from my office and the police department and how they work together and communicate.”