On Friday, we first told you about Kaelen Tucker, a Brookville High School junior who was hit in the back of the head with a baton during the Class 3 State Finals track meet at Liberty University. Now, the young track star who was accused of striking her opponent is breaking her silence, claiming that it was an accident and that the video is not what it seems.
The now viral footage shows I.C. Norcom High School student Alaila Everett running alongside Tucker in the 4x200-meter relay race when the incident unfolded. In it, Everett is seen swinging her baton and smacking it against the back of Tucker’s head as the pair rounded the corner. Tucker said she was diagnosed with a concussion and a possible fractured skull following this race.
”And so when you go to the other side of the track, yet to cross into lane one, you’re at the margin,” said Tucker. “And as I was coming up on her, she kind of like made me like get cut off a little bit. So I backed away and then as we got around the curve, she kept bumping me in my arm, and then, we finally got off the curve. I like slowly started passing her and then that’s when she just hit me with the baton and I fell off the track.”
Everett is a senior and is now coming forward with her side of the story, stating that she and Tucker nearly collided when rounding the curve on the track and it wasn’t intentional.
”After a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back and it rolled up her back,” Everett explained. “I lost my balance when I pumped my arms again. She got hit.”
The Virginia High School League is still investigating the incident and won’t comment on any potential disciplinary actions.
When 10 News spoke to Tucker, she said she wanted an apology from Everett, something Everett said she wants to give.
But she expressed that the other athlete hasn’t been receptive and has blocked her on social media. Instead, the Everett family said they were served with court papers by the Tuckers, who are looking to take out a protective order against their daughter’s alleged attacker.
