Teen Convicted Of Murder In MD High School Bathroom Shooting

BEL AIR, MD — After around three hours of deliberation, the jury in the Joppatowne High School shooting trial reached a verdict Thursday afternoon.

At the end of the eight-day trial, Jaylen Rushawn Prince, 16, of Edgewood was found guilty of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Warren Grant, 15, in a school bathroom on Sept. 6, 2024. The jury also found Prince guilty on firearms charges.

Police said Prince pulled out a gun from his backpack and shot Grant during a fight over a female student in the school bathroom. Grant was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview where he underwent lifesaving surgeries, but they were unsuccessful and he died that same day.

Witnesses testified that the pair were arguing before Prince followed Grant into the bathroom to confront him. One witness recorded their confrontation where Prince was seen as the aggressor who threatened to kill the victim four times, which was shown during the trial. A witness also watched Prince pull the gun from his backpack, cock the gun and shoot the victim before leaving the scene, according to WBAL. The gun has never been found, the prosecution stated.

Prince took the stand in his own defense and told the jury that he did not mean to kill Grant and instead said that Grant was the aggressor, that he came from behind and tried to start a fight over his girlfriend, CBS News reported. Prince told the court that he said to Grant, "My hand is broke. I ain't fighting nobody," referencing an injury that required emergency surgery months before the shooting. Prince testified that he told Grant, "If you touch me, I will kill you," before he pulled a gun out of his backpack to frighten his classmates and get them to go away. Prince told the jury that Grant shook him and the gun fired "accidentally," CBS News reported.

Rykiech Prince, Prince's mother, took the stand and stated that her son had a limited range of motion in his right index finger due to the injury that required surgery. She also testified that she often searched her kids' rooms. However, Healey pointed out that Prince had hidden ammunition under his mattress, WBAL reported.

After closing arguments wrapped up Thursday, the jury began deliberating shortly after 2 p.m. on nine criminal counts. In addition to first-degree murder, Prince was charged with use of a firearm in commission of a crime of violence, minor in possession of a firearm, dangerous weapon on school property, loaded handgun on a person and handgun on a person.

In her closing argument, Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey described Prince as the aggressor in the incident.

"The defendant is the aggressor at each and every stage of this confrontation. He raises the level every single time," Healey said. "This isn't an accident. (Jaylen Prince) cocked the gun and it went off three seconds later. He made a choice. He chose violence ... He does not call 911. He does not tell an adult. He goes past all the teachers, he skips down the hallway."

Healey released a statement after the verdict, saying: "We are very proud today to have given justice to the victim’s family. At 15 years old, his life was taken by this defendant far too soon in a place that is supposed to be safe for the children of our communities. There is absolutely no justifiable reason for a 16-year-old to be armed with a firearm, especially in the halls of our high schools. It is my hope that this case sends a clear message that if you make adult decisions that take the life of another, there will be adult consequences."

Prince could face a life sentence plus 28 years. His sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 2.