Omaha Northwest High shooting suspect was bullied, according to public defender

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The public defender for the 14-year-old accused of shooting another student in Omaha Northwest High School said in court Wednesday afternoon that the teen had been bullied to the point of securing an early release from school for his own safety.

Ramone Jefferson has been charged, as an adult, with first-degree assault, use of a gun to commit a felony, and possession of a firearm on school grounds. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine told 6 News that while there’s still a lot of details left to sort out in the investigation, the severity of the crime warrants charging the teen as an adult.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine(Zoran Tesic / WOWT)

Ramone was booked into the Douglas County Youth Center on Tuesday night. Bond was set Wednesday at $275,000; his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16.

In court on Wednesday afternoon, the public defender said that what happened on Tuesday wasn’t a random act. He said Ramone had been severely bullied — to the point that his mother considered moving him to another school.

The public defender said the school was notified of the bullying and had granted Ramone, whom he said had no unlawful missing or absence school reports, a school pass to leave the premises five minutes before the school day ended — for his safety.

According to the documents, the suspect admitted to shooting the 15-year-old victim once. Officers found him wounded in the hallway on the main level of the school, the documents state. He had been shot in the torso. The boy remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to a Wednesday update from Omaha Police.

SCHOOL THREATS

OPD investigates multiple school threats in wake of Tuesday shooting

Authorities have been investigating several threats to local schools circulating on social media — none of them credible — since Tuesday's shooting inside Northwest High School.

The affidavit says that the school’s security camera footage showed the two boys engage in a physical fight near a classroom after the victim approached Ramone. Omaha Public Schools confirmed that the incident began as an altercation between the two students, noting that it happened on the north side of the school.

According to the court documents, the suspect had his right hand inside his hoodie pocket, then shot a concealed firearm through the sweatshirt, hitting the victim, who then fell to the ground. But both boys ran — in opposite directions — from the scene.

The gun was seen on the security footage, according to the documents; the suspect had it in his right hand before putting it back in his pocket and fleeing from the scene. Hours later, police would ask for the public’s help locating a discarded firearm before an update Tuesday night said they believe they had found the weapon used in the shooting.

All Wednesday classes and activities at the school were canceled. Administrators will instead focus on the staff during that time, with counselors being made available. When students return Thursday, they will be on modified schedules to allow them to have time to meet with counselors and obtain other resources they may need.

As it always does whenever incidents like this happen, security has become a renewed focal point for OPS.

OPS Superintendent Matthew Ray told 6 News that school security is a constant discussion with a lot of moving parts.

“It’s not just one thing,” Ray said Tuesday.

All the schools have new cameras and locks, and every OPS high school and middle school has a school resource officer stationed in the building.

OPS officials said in an update on Wednesday afternoon that anytime incidents like this happen, the district reviews its security measures.

SUPPORT AVAILABLE

Students and families in need of immediate support were urged to call Safe2Help Nebraska at 1-833-980-7233 anytime day or night to get help. Staff in need of support were urged to utilize Employee Assistance Program or state Safe2Help resources as needed.