Wootton HS Shooting Suspect To Remain In Jail, Judge Rules

Updated at 4:15 p.m.

ROCKVILLE, MD — Kahlil White-Villatoro, identified by police as the 16-year-old who shot one student and pointed a gun at another earlier this week at Thomas S. Wootton High School, will remain in jail after a judge ordered that he be held without bond.

The Wednesday order came during a bond hearing where a judge agreed that White-Villatoro poses a threat to the public.

A public defender assigned to White-Villatoro had called for the teen to be moved to a juvenile facility but the judge ruled against the request, according to WJLA.

Prosecutors said during the hearing that the teen had messaged a friend to bring a backpack to the school grounds. WTOP News reported that prosecutors believe the gun was inside that bag.

White-Villatoro is being charged as an adult and is currently facing two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and possession of a dangerous weapon on school property, among other firearms-related charges.

The second counts of first- and second-degree assault were tied to a 15-year-old girl at the school who White-Villatoro pointed a handgun at earlier in the school day, Rockville City Police Chief Jason West said at a Tuesday press briefing. That student was not injured during the encounter.

What Happened Monday?

The injured student, another 16-year-old boy, was shot in a school hallway, which prompted a mass police response at about 2:15 p.m. Monday and a lockdown that wasn't lifted by officials until hours later. Police said the injured boy was hospitalized and remains in stable condition.

The boy's mother spoke to NBC4, describing her son as an "outgoing" and "social" child.

"As of today, that's not the son that I see," she said. "He's heavily sedated. We can't have our regular conversations, laugh with one another."

The mother, who spoke on the condition she would not be named, said her son had experienced bullying in the past, and that the school administrators and counselors did not act because "nothing" had happened when she brought her concerns to officials.

After the shooting, White-Villatoro was arrested near the school grounds. A motive for the incident has not been detailed by investigators, although officials did say the two boys were acquaintances.

Related:

• Accused Wootton Shooter Threatened Girl Earlier In Day: Police
• 'Deeply Unsettling Day': Wootton School Shooting Injures Student

West described the handgun used in the shooting as a Polymer80 9 mm ghost gun, which was recovered late Monday.

“We know that those types of firearms are very difficult to trace, if we can do that at all,” he said. “Part of our investigation will include, ‘Where did that firearm come from? How did that student come into possession of that firearm, and how did it get into the school?’”

White-Villatoro is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center’s Central Processing Unit. A preliminary hearing for the case is scheduled for Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m.

How Is The Community Reacting?

Despite the incident, the high school returned to normal operations the next day, with crisis counselors made available and extra security officials stationed at the grounds.

While some parents were understanding of the communication hiccups that took place throughout the day on Monday — from confusion over a reunification site to a general lack of communication from officials — others were frustrated.

Two community meetings were held Tuesday and included Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Taylor and Rockville City Police. Several concerned parents shouted out questions that went unanswered, WTOP News reported.

“We came here because we expected that they were going to answer our questions, but unfortunately, they didn’t answer our questions,” one parent told the outlet.

Taylor acknowledged the frustrations being felt among parents, saying he too was upset with the situation "just like they are and just like their kids are, and just like our teachers are."

Editor's note: The headline of this story was updated to clarify that the suspect is a teenager, not an adult.