A Tennessee mother said she regrets calling 911 on her daughter's Black boyfriend after he was fatally shot by police in a high school bathroom.
Regina Perkins called police on April 12 after her daughter, Alexus Page, said she was assaulted by her boyfriend, 17-year-old Anthony J. Thompson Jr. Perkins said her daughter came home with marks on her face and missing hair after she was sent home following an altercation with Thompson, who she had been dating for nine months.
"Alexus told me that she was grabbed and that her hair was pulled, and that is really what led me to feel that I needed to do more," Perkins said.
She said she contacted the police after a failed attempt at reaching Thompson's mother. After police took a statement at Perkins' house, she claimed she texted Thompson to let him know cops would be arriving at the school.
While Perkins claimed she told authorities that she didn't believe Thompson was armed, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says police were acting on a report of a possible gunman at the school.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also claimed Thompson was armed. During a confrontation between the teen and multiple officers, one school resource officer was shot in the leg but the bullet that wounded him was not discharged from Thompson's weapon. The confrontation eventually resulted in Thompson's death.
"I am so sorry and I never meant for anything to happen to him," Thompson said. "We are mourning. My daughter is grieving the loss of her first love and we also want answers and justice in this case."
Investigators have not disclosed how many officers confronted Thompson in the bathroom or who fired shots. Thompson's family, Perkins, and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon have demanded that the police release bodycam footage of the incident but the Knox County District Attorney General refused.
Perkins admitted that the relationship between her daughter and Thompson was unhealthy, but still regrets calling the police.
"[Alexus] loved him, she really did," she said. "He was a good kid. He had dreams and goals, but he had some struggles. They both have gone through a lot of things and, as a parent, I felt it was necessary to protect her after I saw things were heading in the wrong direction the last few months...That child should not be dead. We all want justice for Anthony. He should still be here."
Source: Atlanta Black Star
Regina Perkins called police on April 12 after her daughter, Alexus Page, said she was assaulted by her boyfriend, 17-year-old Anthony J. Thompson Jr. Perkins said her daughter came home with marks on her face and missing hair after she was sent home following an altercation with Thompson, who she had been dating for nine months.
"Alexus told me that she was grabbed and that her hair was pulled, and that is really what led me to feel that I needed to do more," Perkins said.
She said she contacted the police after a failed attempt at reaching Thompson's mother. After police took a statement at Perkins' house, she claimed she texted Thompson to let him know cops would be arriving at the school.
While Perkins claimed she told authorities that she didn't believe Thompson was armed, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says police were acting on a report of a possible gunman at the school.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also claimed Thompson was armed. During a confrontation between the teen and multiple officers, one school resource officer was shot in the leg but the bullet that wounded him was not discharged from Thompson's weapon. The confrontation eventually resulted in Thompson's death.
"I am so sorry and I never meant for anything to happen to him," Thompson said. "We are mourning. My daughter is grieving the loss of her first love and we also want answers and justice in this case."
Investigators have not disclosed how many officers confronted Thompson in the bathroom or who fired shots. Thompson's family, Perkins, and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon have demanded that the police release bodycam footage of the incident but the Knox County District Attorney General refused.
Perkins admitted that the relationship between her daughter and Thompson was unhealthy, but still regrets calling the police.
"[Alexus] loved him, she really did," she said. "He was a good kid. He had dreams and goals, but he had some struggles. They both have gone through a lot of things and, as a parent, I felt it was necessary to protect her after I saw things were heading in the wrong direction the last few months...That child should not be dead. We all want justice for Anthony. He should still be here."
Source: Atlanta Black Star
