News 13 has worked for months to uncover what took place between a Fletcher Elementary student and a school resource officer in May of this year that led to an SBI investigation.
In a statement on Sept. 27, the Henderson County Public Schools spokesperson confirmed that SRO was no longer with the district.
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, News 13 obtained several emails from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office regarding the physical altercation.
On Monday, May 9, 2022, the then-superintendent of Henderson County Public Schools Dr. John Bryant sent a report to members of the school board detailing a physical altercation between SRO Alan Brackett and a fifth-grade student.
According to the report, the student in question “had been verbally disruptive in class” when they were taken to the front office where Fletcher Elementary Principal Tammy Deaver called the child’s grandparent.
During the call, Brackett grabbed the student by the back of their hoodie, knocking the student out of a chair, pinning the child to the ground with Brackett's knee on the student’s chest.
The report further stated the student asked for Brackett to let him go and the student said they “could not breathe.” That’s when Deaver repeatedly asked Brackett to “let the student go.”
After the student was placed in another chair, the report states the student continued to be “verbally disruptive.” In response, Brackett “struck the student in the face.” At that point, Deaver intervened and removed the fifth grader from the altercation.
According to the report, Dr. Bryant spoke with Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin about the incident and was informed that Brackett was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
One day later, Sheriff Griffin requested via email that SBI also investigate the incident.
Then, on Thursday, May 12, the district released a statement acknowledging the altercation. The statement read:
"We are never at liberty to discuss individual student information, which is why it would not have been appropriate to send an all-school communication about Monday’s incident to all Fletcher families.
We have been in continued communication with the family of the student involved, and have assured Fletcher parents with specific inquiries that any incident or concern involving students or staff is reported, investigated, and addressed to ensure the safety of our school, our students, and our staff."
Also in May, the sheriff’s office released the following statement to News 13: "The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office can confirm that a School Resource Officer (SRO) has been placed on administrative leave following an incident at Fletcher Elementary School on Monday, May 9th, 2022. Sheriff Lowell Griffin has ordered an internal investigation be conducted regarding this incident. Due to the fact this is a personnel matter no further information regarding this incident will be released."
Meanwhile, News 13 continued to push for answers about what happened. Sheriff Griffin agreed to an interview on June 2, 2022, but then received an email a day prior to the scheduled interview that it had been canceled. The email read, "Regarding the appointment set for tomorrow afternoon, the Sheriff has advised that since the SBI is still investigating the situation, he will not be able to make any comment at this time. The case could fall silent until September when SBIT announced they had concluded their investigation and submitted their report to Henderson County District Attorney Andrew Murray."
On Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, Murray announced he would not file charges against Dep. Alan Brackett regarding an incident that occurred on May 9, 2022. Murray said his decision was based on a thorough review of the SBI's investigative report on the incident, adding that the force used by Brackett was not excessive.
The same day -- Sept. 23 -- a spokesperson from Henderson County Sheriff's Office provided the following statement:
"The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) and the District Attorney’s Office for stepping in and taking the time to conduct a thorough and complete investigation of the alleged incident involving our deputy.
We have complete confidence in the investigation and review of all facts and circumstances surrounding this alleged incident. This is a matter involving a juvenile; the NCSBI and the District Attorney’s Office have closed this investigation and no wrongdoing was found on behalf of the deputy. As this investigation is now formally closed, there will be no further comment from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office."
Henderson County Public Schools provided the following statement on Tuesday, Sept. 27:
"On Friday, September 23, 2022, Henderson County Public Schools was informed that District Attorney Andrew Murray made a decision to not file charges against a former School Resource Officer, Alan Brackett. The DA reviewed the case after the NCSBI concluded its investigation. HCPS followed district protocol when alerted about the incident on May 09, 2022, and cooperated with the investigation. Our mission is to ensure a safe learning and working environment for all students and staff."
A spokesperson for Henderson County school confirmed Dep. Alan Brackett was no longer a resource officer for the district.