Alaila Everett recently sparked debates about whether she intentionally smacked her track competitor in the head with a baton. Everett, a senior, and Kaelen Tucker, a junior, were competing on behalf of their Virginia high schools in a state competition on March 5. A now-viral video seemingly shows Alaila double-tap Tucker with the baton as they cross paths on the track.
In a tearful media interview, Everett claimed the incident was accidental and happened while pumping her arms. But Tucker’s family and the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Office don’t seem to be buying her POV. Tucker’s parents have filed for a protective order while prosecutors hit Alaila Everett with a misdemeanor assault and battery charge. Now, a new video shows the charged teen thanking supporters in Virginia for believing her.
Alaila Everett Breaks Down In Tears While Thanking Supporters
Everett and her family held a rally on her behalf one day after the charges were announced. On Thursday (March 13), the teen stood outside of her high school, I.C. Norcom, to double down on her innocence. Fox News reports that “dozens” of people attended the rally. As she thanked the folks who showed up, Alaila Everett broke down in tears.
“Thank y’all for supporting me,” the teen said, per circulating video from the rally. “There’s no one else that wanted to hear my story except the people that know me and people that know I would never do anything like that; I would never harm anybody. I’m not a fighter, I’m not even confrontational, I wouldn’t even do that on purpose, and I thank y’all for believing in me. I love y’all.”
Charged Track Runner Previously Said THIS
It’s unclear if Everett offered any additional apologies to Kaelen Tucker, who suffered a concussion and “possible skull fracture” from the repeated baton hits. Tucker and her family had previously told the media that they were seeking an apology.
However, according to Alaila Everett, Kaelen blocked her on Instagram when she attempted to follow her to start a conversation about what happened. Speaking to 10WAVY, Everett explained that Tucker and her family are not considering her mental health amid the heavy backlash for the incident.
“…but I know my intentions, and I would never hit somebody on purpose because of jealousy. I know I’m not the best at track. I applaud her for being a great runner; I would never hit somebody because of jealousy. And at the end of the day, I’m a child too…I’m sorry,” the high school senior told 10WAVY in her first media interview.
She insisted that she was an honor roll student who stayed out of trouble. During her four years running track, Everett said there’s never been a similar incident. She also implied that Kaelen Tucker might not have gotten hit if she had “waited a bit longer” to cut into her lane.
Meanwhile, Tucker told the press that she was “so in disbelief” during the moment. “Like I didn’t even know what happened. I just, like, got hit in the head, and I just fell off the track,” she said.
Prosecutor’s Office Speaks On Charge, While NACCP Denounces It
Despite both teens having their own versions of what happened, the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Office seems to be pushing forward with the charge. According to ABC13 News, Attorney Bethany Harrison recently spoke on the matter, which is pending in juvenile and domestic relations court.
“There is still a recognition when someone goes beyond what is acceptable for the sport,” Harrison said. “Every one of these instances, it depends on what’s going on.”
While the attorney’s office is making a point about not condoning violence, it also seems to value rehab for both girls involved. “And both are juveniles, and they are subject to a lot of attention right now. And just to know that we don’t condone violence, we don’t want to see any kind of violence in any of these sporting events, but also we want to work toward helping this juvenile and work toward rehabilitation,” Harrison added.
Meanwhile, at the rally, Portsmouth NAACP President James Boyd addressed what the Everett family is allegedly experiencing.
“The Everett family has experienced racial slurs, they’ve experienced death threats, and we think unequivocally that those things are unacceptable,” Boyd shared.
