HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — "He loves sports. His favorite color is blue. That was my guy; every day he was smiling every day," says Noah, Warren Grant's cousin.
Those are the memories Noah will carry on of his cousin Warren Grant, who was shot and killed at Joppatowne High School Friday afternoon.
Noah says he was leaving class when he heard the gunshot.
He said other students kept saying Grant's name; he says he remembers trying to get to his cousin but teachers stopped him from getting close.
"And it's harder when you see him laying there like it's different," says Noah.
Sunday night, hundreds of people gathered at a basketball court in Edgewood for a vigil.
In addition to celebrating Grant's life, they also had conversations about how to reduce violence in schools and in communities.
A conversation Sandra Espinosa says needs to happen more often before incidents like the shooting on Friday.
"Kids should never be able to get a hold of guns; bottom line, kids should never have the opportunity to put a gun in their hand," says Sandra Espinosa, Joppatown Parent.
Sunday, Superintendent Sean Bulson sent out a video message to parents about the incident.
In the video, Dr. Bulson shared some of the plans the school board plans to make as students go back to the classrooms.
"Our first priority is to ensure that we address the immediate needs at Joppatowne High School so the community can begin healing. Every school has services and staff in place who are ready and available to support your students as we collective process and grieve the loss of one of our own," says Dr. Bulson.
But students like Jameir say returning may be harder for students.
"Some people not gonna want to come to school; some people are not gonna want to talk. Some people are not gonna want to go to class; some people are not gonna want to do anything at all because it really hits different for some people that was there, so people that wasn't there or their relationships they had with him," says Jamier.
Harford County Public Schools will have counseling staff and meal services available to students from the Joppatowne community this week.
Counseling services are available on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at:
Windsor Valley Community Center (10 a.m.–3 p.m.)
570 Meadowood Drive, Edgewood, MD, 21040
Edgewood Boys and Girls Club (10 a.m.–3 p.m.)
2002 Cedar Drive, Edgewood, MD, 21040
Edgewood EPI Center (10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
1918 Pulaski Highway, Edgewood, MD, 21040
Additionally, students from Riverside Elementary School, Joppatowne Elementary School, Magnolia Elementary School, Magnolia Middle School, and Joppatowne High School can pick up a bagged lunch at these locations, Magnolia Middle School, and Mariner Point Park, on Monday, September 9, 2024, between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, students from Joppatowne High School can pick up two-day meal kits at Joppatowne High School and the Windsor Valley Community Center between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
