Virginia HS track runner charged with assault after bashing opponent’s head
A high school track and field athlete from Virginia has been charged with assault and battery after she was seen bashing her opponent’s head with a baton during a race. Alaila Everett, a student athlete from I.C. Norcom High School, was caught on camera smashing her baton on the head of Kaelen Tucker, a junior from Brookville High School, during a championship meet last week. The incident went viral, sparking national controversy and backlash against Everett.
Tucker was later diagnosed with a concussion and possible skull fracture as a result of the attack. While Tucker and her family initially did not definitively say whether they would press charges against Everett, the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Office has confirmed that charges have officially been pressed against her. Everett faces one misdemeanor count of assault and battery for her actions.
In interviews with WAVY and “Good Morning America,” Everett claimed that the hits were accidental. She stated that she lost her balance during the race, causing her baton to get stuck behind Tucker’s back and resulting in the repeated hits to her head. Despite the physical pain caused to Tucker, Everett emphasized that there has not been enough empathy for the mental impact on her own well-being.
The Portsmouth NAACP released a statement defending Everett, describing her as an honor student and a star athlete with a reputation for integrity both on and off the field. The organization denounced media headlines that painted Everett as an attacker and emphasized that she deserves her due process rights.
Tucker recounted the incident in an interview with WSET ABC 13, expressing shock and disbelief at the violent attack during the race. The entire section of spectators gasped when they witnessed the baton bashing, and Tucker’s family members rushed to her side to provide support.
In an effort to prove that the incident was accidental, Everett and her family provided a different angle of the footage and re-enacted the race during an interview with Good Morning America. They demonstrated how the baton became stuck behind Tucker’s back, leading to the unintentional hits to her head.
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) issued a statement to Fox News Digital, stating that they do not comment on individual disciplinary actions due to FERPA regulations. However, they confirmed that the actions taken by the meet director to disqualify Everett from the race were appropriate and correct, emphasizing the importance of player safety in high school sports.
As the legal process unfolds, the incident continues to spark debate and discussion about sportsmanship, athlete safety, and the consequences of on-field violence. The impact of this incident will have lasting effects on both Everett and Tucker, as well as their respective schools and communities.
