Ex-School 'Dean' Convicted For Shooting Student In Head

JAMAICA PLAIN, MA — A former school employee who held himself as an anti-violence clergyman was found guilty of attempting to murder a student he had recruited to sell marijuana. Shaun O. Harrison, 58, of Roxbury, was convicted Thursday morning of shooting a 17-year-old high school student execution-style in the back of the head in 2015.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury today found Harrison guilty of armed assault with intent to murder, aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance, and two counts each of unlawful possession of a rifle or shotgun and unlawful possession of ammunition. Jurors deliberated for approximately one day before returning the verdicts.

He faces sentencing Friday morning. The lead charge of armed assault with intent to murder carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in state prison.

At the time of the shooting. Harrison was an employee at Boston's English High School in JP and was someone who students said they trusted, simply calling him the "Rev." But throughout the week-long trial it came out that Harrison was actually leading a double life and a crime-drug network.

Harrison denied this and pleaded not guilty.

Harrison was the unofficial "Dean of Academy" at English, where a Boston Public Schools spokeswoman previously said he served as a family outreach coordinator. Harrison was known around town as "Rev," short for reverend (though he may not have been ordained,) and was a community organizer and churchgoer. When one of his neighbors moved into his building he brought her a bottle of wine and was known to check in on her during the winter months when there was a snow storm. Residents said he mentored gang members and hosted anger management classes. He was outspoken about violence in the community and he'd worked for the school system for about five years.

But it turns out Harrison used his position to befriend an at-risk teen he was assigned to work with. Rather than help him, evidence proved he recruited the 17-year-old boy he was mentoring to sell marijuana for him in the high school cafeteria.

The teen told police he visited Harrison's apartment in Roxbury, held a gun and smoked marijuana with the older man. Other teens took the stand to corroborate this throughout the trial.

Displeased with the victim’s sales on March 3, 2015, Harrison first arranged for the victim to be assaulted at school. Harrison then texted him to meet near Harrison’s Pompeii Street apartment that evening, cellphone records proved.

The two met and were walking down Magazine Street when Harrison fell a bit behind the teen, shooting him in the head from behind. When the teen collapsed, Harrison is seen on grainy surveillance video running away.

The student survived and was able to stand and flag down help. He was transported to Boston Medical Center, where he identified Harrison – using his nickname “Rev” – as the person who shot him.

When Harrison heard that the student survived, he asked someone whether the boy was talking to police, according to witnesses. Harrison also complied with the police, letting them know he had a couple old guns in storage.

When Boston Police detectives investigating the shooting got to Harrison’s home, they saw three men leaving the building in possession of marijuana, firearms, and a police scanner.

The men were arrested and two of them bore tattoos similar to one Harrison had, prompting prosecutors to believe they were there to remove evidence.

During the course of their investigation, police detectives searched Harrison’s apartment and a storage unit at the address, where they located a large amount of marijuana, a rifle, a shotgun, a firearm, and several rounds of ammunition – including those of the same type and caliber used to shoot the victim. Articles of clothing matching those worn by the shooter was also recovered and tested positive for gunshot residue, the evidence proved.

After securing a warrant, prosecution said police found photos of drugs and guns on Harrison's phone.
Harrison was arrested the following day and was fired and has been in jail since. In 2016 he was set to go on trial but it was rescheduled after Harrison fired his first lawyer.

“This defendant presented himself as a man of faith dedicated to helping young people,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said. “Instead he exploited his position to earn the trust of vulnerable youth and prey on them...He betrayed the victim and he betrayed the community he claimed to serve. It was only by sheer luck that the victim survived this attempted execution to identify Harrison for what he is – a violent predator and a fraud.”

Previously:

• BPS Employee Accused of Shooting Student Fires Lawyer (2016)
• Former School Employee Shoots Teen (2015)
• English High School Employee Accused Of Shooting Teen (2015)

File Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch