Teen to be held by Dept. of Juvenile Justice until 21 in 2022 shooting

By Linda Cicoira

     A Cape Charles teenager could be held by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice until he is 21 years old, according to a ruling made by an Accomack Circuit Court judge Thursday.

     Eighteen-year-old Jalil Naheem Galloway, also known as J-Bird, pleaded guilty to the 2022 shooting of a fellow Northampton High School student outside a birthday party near Accomac. Galloway was 17 years old when he committed the crime, but was tried as an adult. A plea bargain allowed him to enter pleas to counts of unlawful wounding and shooting at a vehicle. A charge of using a firearm in a felony was not prosecuted.   

     If Juvenile Justice thinks Galloway is ready to be released before he is 21, Galloway would come back to court to get the judge’s blessing.

     The 17-year-old victim was shot in the chest. She previously told the court she was bullied at school after the incident by the defendant’s friends. 

     An alternative education official from Northampton schools told the court that Galloway never caused problems and was a good student. “Jahlil made a horrible mistake. He made a horrible choice,” she said about the shooting. 

     A juvenile probation officer said said that in elementary and middle school he “had behavioral issues.” Prior to the shooting incident, “he assaulted a therapeutic day-treatment worker,” she added.

     Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan said Galloway “is focused on convincing this court that he is not the person who committed these crimes, when he is. He had a gun at a birthday party,” Morgan added.

    Judge Lewis noted that Galloway “never admitted to doing the shooting. You have denied it. She identified you. I want you to always remember this picture. How she survived this wound is a miracle … time will tell whether or not this is a wake-up call for you.”