Student found guilty of school shooting

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - It took the jury less than an hour to find Portsmouth school shooting suspect Keith Elliott guilty. Now Elliot is facing close to 40 years behind bars.

Just before noon Thursday, jurors found the 16-year-old guilty of discharging a firearm into Woodrow Wilson High School, as well as two gun charges.

Elliot's mother, Glenda, told WAVY.com, "I'm very pleased with the verdict. It turned out for the best. The evidence was presented. The jury took it in consideration. The outcome was fine."

However, prosecutor Andrew Kolp expressed mixed feelings over the jury's decision. "I'm okay with that, but I disagree with it. We knew those two counts had the least amount of evidence on it," said Kolp.

Day two of the trial against Elliott started in a dramatic fashion Thursday.

The trial was delayed because the teenaged defendant refused to cooperate from the time he was picked up at a juvenille detention center, according to deputies. Those in the courtroom report they heard a folding metal chair hit the floor, then heard a lot of commotion. When Elliott was finally brought into the courtroom, he refused to answer the judge. Elliott's lawyer had a talk with him and 30 minutes later, Elliott calmed down and the second day of the trial got underway.

The shooting on April 28 sent students running for cover and parents scrambling to pick up their kids. No one was hurt when the then 15-year-old Elliott opened fire. Police said Elliott was recently suspended when he took a loaded gun into the school and pointed it at a student to open a back door.

In court on Wednesday, the teen seemed oblivious to the serious charges against him. He was sitting next to his father in the courtroom and tried as an adult. Testimony indicated he proceeded to one classroom, gun in hand, then left firing a shot in the hallway.

School security officer James Flippens testified and said he encountered Elliott, asked for the gun, but Elliott refused, heading instead to the cafeteria where he fired three times. "When he fired the second shot there was chaos. Everyone just started running. We have a gate in the back with the cafeteria, kids were trying to slide under that. No one was really coming forward. Because that's where Keith was," said Flippens.  "I saw him put the gun down then started walking out, put his arm around a student and they cordially walked out."

Elliot could be sentenced to as much as 36 years in prison, keeping him behind bars until he is 52-years-old.

Some of Elliott's former classmates had mixed reactions to the verdict.

Daki Stith, 15, said, "I know consequences are gonna come, but I still think he deserves a second chance."

Freshman Danielle Fisher said, "He did it so he should get in trouble, but I never knew him to be a guy like that."

The judge will formally sentence Elliott on November 16.