Teen accused of shooting school resource officer and assistant principal at Olathe East High School will stand trial
Witnesses testified about what they say happened inside Dr. Kaleb Stoppel's office at Olathe East High School on March 4, 2022.
Witnesses testified about what they say happened inside Dr. Kaleb Stoppel's office at Olathe East High School on March 4, 2022.
Witnesses testified about what they say happened inside Dr. Kaleb Stoppel's office at Olathe East High School on March 4, 2022.
The teen accused of bringing a gun to Olathe East High School and shooting a school resource officer and an assistant principal will stand trial.
Jaylon Elmore had his preliminary hearing Monday after being charged with attempted capital murder.
Inside the courtroom, witnesses testified about what they say happened inside that office at Olathe East High School on March 4, 2022.
Assistant Principals Leslie Simons and Dr. Kaleb Stoppel said they pulled Elmore out of class and to the office after hearing rumors he had a gun in his backpack.
They said they repeatedly told Elmore they needed to search his bag. Each time, they said Elmore told them no.
"Jaylon just kept saying no, I'll just go home. No, I'll just go home,” Simons testified.
Stoppel said he then texted their school resource officer Erik Clark to come to his office immediately.
Clark said he went to intervene and search the bag when Elmore reached into the backpack and pulled out a pistol.
"He had drawn a handgun from his backpack and just started firing at me,” Clark said. "I see the muzzle flash, I hear the sound, and I feel bullets hitting me.”
“I could see Officer Clark's reaction with each hit,” Simons said.
OLATHE EAST SHOOTING COVERAGE:
- Johnson County DA: Olathe East SRO use of force justified in shooting of student with gun
- Authorities identify Olathe East school resource officer who was wounded
- Affidavit sheds light on Olathe East High School shooting
- Records: Accused Olathe East High School shooting suspect released from hospital, booked into jail
- Olathe East shooting suspect identified, charged with attempted capital murder
Officer Clark said he drew his gun and returned fire.
"It all happened so fast that it was bang bang -- they were down,” Simons said.
"Next thing I remember, I’m on top of Jaylen, and I'm using my weight to subdue him,” Stoppel said. “My full weight is still on Jaylen until I have the gun away.”
Clark, Elmore, and Stoppel had all been shot. One of the bullets hit and destroyed Clark’s body cam.
The defense asked questions about the school’s response to the gun threat.
“If that is a top safety concern for you guys, why did you not involve law enforcement from the beginning?” defense attorney and former Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison asked.
Morrison also asked Simons if they think they handled the situation correctly. Simons said they did it to the best of their ability -- adding no one else was injured that day.
No trial date has been set. Elmore has pleaded not guilty to all four counts. That includes two felony counts -- attempted capital murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two misdemeanor counts involving criminal use of weapons.