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Teenage suspect in school bus stop shooting prosecuted as adult, pleads not guilty

Jake Ryan

A 16-year-old is being prosecuted as an adult in the killing of teenager Tyree Smith at his bus stop in September.

Smith was waiting for his school bus when shots struck and killed him, and injured two other students.

The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office says a Jefferson County grand jury indicted one suspect, Demaurion Lakeith Moore, on 15 charges, including complicity to murder and attempted murder.

Moore pleaded not guilty. He’s being held on a $750,000 bond.

In December police announced they had two 16-year-old suspects in custody in connection to Smith’s death. Commonwealth Attorney’s Office spokesperson Erwin Roberts said he couldn’t comment on cases against any other suspects.

Tyree Smith’s family could not immediately be reached for comment.

When police announced they had suspects in custody in December, Smith’s mother Sherita Smith said she had “no ill will” towards them, and expressed concern for them and their families.

“I can’t be a mother and not think about another mother, you know, and I’m pretty sure they going through pain,” she said at the time. “I just think everybody needs to take responsibility and do better,” Smith said.

“And be held accountable for their actions,” her husband Eric Shirley added.

Moore’s next court date is April 19.

Jess Clark is WWNO's Education Desk reporter. Jess comes to the station after two years as Fletcher Fellow for Education Policy Reporting for North Carolina Public Radio - WUNC (Chapel Hill). Her reporting has aired on national programs, including NPR's All Things Considered, Here & Now from WBUR, and NPR's Weekend Edition.
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