Teen Suspect In Forsyth Tech Shooting Appears In Court

FORSYTH COUNTY, NC (WGHP) - A teenager who was shot in the arm and arrested at Forsyth Community Technical College pleaded guilty Friday.

Shannon Howard James Bates, an 18-year-old student at Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy, was charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds and one count of carrying a concealed weapon. He was granted a $25,000 bond.

Bates sat on the court with his left arm and hand bandaged. His mother was also in the courtroom and told the judge that Bates will graduate on June 11.

© By WNCT Greenville Shannon Bates watches a reporter after court on March 31. (Lauren Crawford/WGHP)

Bates was on campus Thursday when he fired a shotgun, hitting a teenager in the arm. The injury was not life-threatening and Bates was taken to the hospital. The gunshot wound is believed to be self-inflicted. Winston-Salem Police Captain and Precinct 3 Commander Shelley Lovejoy said investigators are still trying to determine if the shooting was intentional or accidental.

Authorities say the first call came in at 10:10 a.m. Thursday about a person being shot on campus.

During a news conference Thursday night, Forsyth County Police Technical Officer Carolyn McMackin said officers were called about a gunshot heard near a second-floor bathroom at the Strickland Center in Silas. Creek Street in Winston-Salem.

Bates was found near the bathroom with a gunshot wound.

A TechAlert was sent Thursday morning to Forsyth Tech students asking them to take cover due to shooting at the Strickland Center. Forsyth Tech Early and Middle College, part of Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, is also on site.

Lovejoy further testified that this was not an "active shooter situation" and that there was no "active threat to the community." There are no suspects at large.

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During the lockdown, Patricia Bundy, who has a son at Forsyth Tech, said she has been in constant contact with her daughter.

"At first he texted me saying he loved me and said there was an active shooter and said he was hiding and then he kept texting me saying he was still alive," Bundy said. “Her friends texted me to tell me what building she works in and to tell me that the shooter was not near the building. If you are a parent, being on the same campus is very close. It's so close to my baby."

Mindy Peneku, a Forsyth Tech student, was in class in Bob Green Hall, a building next door to Strickland, when TechAlert went off. Peneku spoke to FOX8 at 11:18 a.m. and said the classroom was hidden under the desks.

"Someone is trying to get in," Benica said by phone. "Someone is trying to get in. Oh my god. What are they doing? Now the door will be locked."

Students visit campus

The Stokes County School Principal confirmed the presence of Stokes County students on campus at the time.

While full details are not available, I can confirm that students from Stokes County Schools were on the Forsyth Tech campus during the shooting. All students were found safe and sound.

Stokes County officials and on-site school personnel confirmed that sixteen students from West Stokes, 14 students from South Stokes, and one student from North Stokes were on campus and were in police custody. The main North Stokes bus has not yet arrived and this bus has been diverted to North Stokes.

Once our students are released, they will immediately return to their school grounds.

This investigation is still ongoing and more information will be available in the coming hours. Once again, students from Stokes County Schools took a field trip to Forsyth Tech during filming; However, all students and staff involved in these field trips have been deemed safe.

At this time, we do not anticipate a threat to any of our Stokes County schools. However, we have contacted the local police and will be providing additional security at our school this afternoon.

Rice, Stokes County Superintendent of Schools

According to the representative.

Students attending events at Forsyth Tech with representatives from their schools. All WS/FCS students are considered. We have no injuries at this time, but will keep you posted as more information becomes available. Parents please do not come to Forsyth Tech as the campus is closed and a shelter in place protocol is in place. Our students will be returned to their local schools as soon as possible.

The officials responded

Mayor Allen Jones said in a phone interview with FOX8. “We know that something like this can happen on a daily basis, so our thoughts are with the students, faculty and administration of Forsyth Tech, knowing that this is a very stressful situation. I want to thank you. our law enforcement agencies and our police department for responding so quickly and efficiently. This is a very difficult time for the entire country as we see things like this happen, especially in your own backyard, if you will.

“Everyone in Winston Salem stay safe,” candidate Josh Stein tweeted.

Lawmakers commented on the closure in active session. Rep. Amber Baker says her mother lives only half a mile from the detention center and should be in a detention center, but she has dementia and doesn't understand what's going on.

Rep. Donnie Lambeth's daughter is a guidance counselor at Parkland High School and told FOX8 that she “brought students from her school to visit campus today. When the news broke in the Financial Times, he and his students moved into the woods on their own. own safety was assured. Far from campus, while Yana and the students don't know what's going on, but she sent a message to warn me and her sisters. One of her sisters, who works at home, turned on the television and began to write to us. So my daughter Carrie texted us that she is safe now and so are the kids and students. Thank God prayers were answered.

Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06) issued the following statement Thursday afternoon.

“After reports of a shooting at Forsyth Tech , police and administrators moved quickly to secure the campus. I applaud your heroic efforts and thank you for protecting students, faculty and staff,” said Representative Manning. “I spent a lot of time visiting the Forsyth community. Tech and working with him shared their relief that this incident was resolved with no fatalities. This shooting comes just days after three students and three adults were killed at a Nashville school. and just one day after North Carolina Republicans passed legislation that would do away with the state's background check system. He is ready to continue working with his colleagues in Congress to pass legislation to reduce violence.

Representative Kathy Manning

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