A track star accused of attacking an opponent with a baton during a major race insists new footage reveals the true events unfolding.
A major incident during a high school race in Virginia has caught a lot of attention.
Alaila Everett, a runner, has been accused of hitting her competitor, Kaelen Tucker, with a baton.
This event happened at the Virginia State High School League Championships last week.
A video of the moment went viral, showing Everett seemingly striking Tucker in the back of the head.
A runner attacked her opponent on back of head with a relay baton
The race was intense, and both runners were competing hard.
In the footage, it appears that Everett hit Tucker with her baton. After being struck, Tucker stumbled and fell to the ground.
Medical professionals later diagnosed her with a concussion and a possible skull fracture.
This incident raised questions about what happened during the race.
Track star Alaila Everett claims the incident was unintentionally
Everett spoke out about the incident. She insists that she did not mean to hit Tucker.
In an interview with WAVY-TV 10, she explained that her baton got stuck behind Tucker.
She said, “After a couple times of hitting [Tucker] with my baton, I got stuck behind her back like this and it rolled up her back.”
She added, “I lost my balance, and when I pumped my arms again, she got hit.”
“I know my intentions and I would never hit somebody on purpose.”
Everett wants people to understand her side of the story.
She is upset that her actions have been misunderstood and that people are calling her an attacker.
Track star reveals new footage to justify her actions
Since the incident, new footage has surfaced. Everett’s family believes that this footage supports her claims.
They argue that Tucker was running too closely to Everett, which led to the accident.
In her interviews, Everett explained that the baton unintentionally struck Tucker as they neared a corner during the race.
The new video has become a key part of the discussion. Many are eager to see it and understand the context better.
Everett’s supporters believe that this footage could clear her name and show that it was an accident.
The runner faced legal issues after the incident
Despite her claims of innocence, Everett now faces legal trouble. She has been charged with assault and battery.
This misdemeanor charge was issued shortly after the incident. The Virginia High School League is also reviewing the situation.
They want to ensure that fair action is taken regarding the race and its participants.
The legal process can be difficult, especially for a young athlete.
Everett is worried about the impact this situation will have on her future.
She has worked hard to achieve her success in sports, and this incident could change everything.
Support from the community
The Portsmouth National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is also involved.
They have been looking into the incident and the treatment of Everett and her family.
Reports indicate that the family has received racial slurs and death threats since the incident.
“We are committed collectively to ensuring that the criminal justice system, which we feel is not warranted in this situation, is executed fairly and based on due process,” the organization said in a statement.
The NAACP has been vocal about their support for Everett.
They argue that she is an exceptional young leader and should not face criminal charges for what they believe was an accident.
They are calling for justice and fair treatment throughout this process.
“She has carried herself with integrity both on and off the field and any narrative that adjudicates her guilty of any criminal activity is a violation of her due process rights,” the NAACP went on to say of Everett.
Social media reactions
One user said: If it were truly accidental (and integrity is what you’re professing) and you caused another to fall out of the race, why wouldn’t you also stop to ensure you hadn’t caused great injury?
It’s not that they tripped over each other, her swing struck another that stopped her running.
The second user added: I looked at many angles of the video. It appears she was in control of pulling straight back and swinging straight forward. Wasna circular swing.
IMHO. It was intentional. Sorry. Not what you wanted me to say.
The third user wrote: You would have to be blind not to see her intentionally hit her opponent.
The fourth user commented: I think she should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law as a felon,she could have killed the other runner.
Another user said: She knew what she was doing. Total is that it was an accident!! No more sports for you girl. And it’s criminal.
Someone added: simple math, you do not raise your hand above your head when running.