Student charged in malicious shooting incident cannot return to school

By Linda Cicoira

A 17-year-old rising senior at Northampton High School was denied a bond amendment in Accomack Circuit Court Thursday that would allow him to return to school while awaiting trial on charges of malicious shooting, maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle, and use of a firearm in the shooting.

Jalil Naheem Galloway, of Cape Charles, was indicted on the charges in April. He will be tried as an adult. The court record shows a Nov. 3 trial date. The incident occurred Jan. 15. Galloway has been on house arrest and took classes during the last term through a virtual learning program.

“I mentally forgive him,” the female victim, also a 17-year-old senior, testified. But “the trauma is still there.” She said she has been adversely affected socially, mentally, and physically. She tried to get transferred to Nandua High School in Accomack. That division would not allow her to cross the county line to attend school. So, she is stuck.

Bullying is a big problem for her.

“Every day I get a call something is going on,” her mother told the court. “The majority of her peers are his friends. Him being back there — it’s going to be even worse.”

“Your honor we shouldn’t put on blinders and think that Mr. Galloway is going to just let this go by,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan argued. “At least not until this matter goes to trial … This request is just a little bit too much.”

Defense lawyer Tom Northam argued, “All he wants to do is pursue his education in person and not in front of a computer.”

“You are identified as the shooter,” Judge W. Revell Lewis III told the defendant. “I am not going to allow you to go back to high school under these circumstances. She is being bullied and harassed. You probably could have done something about it, but you didn’t,” the judge added.