Runner who 'attacked' opponent with baton speaks out to crowd following assault charge
A high school student who was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery has spoken out defending her actions in front of a group of people.
High school student Alaila Everett quickly became known around the country after a viral video during a track competition.
On Tuesday March 4, Brookville High School runner Kaelen Tucker suffered a concussion and a potential skull fracture.
She received these injuries after being struck from behind by Everett, and a viral video appeared to show Everett strike her intentionally.
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Everett has repeatedly denied this and insisted that she accidentally struck the runner after she was passed while they ran the second leg of a 4x200 meter relay at Liberty University, Lynchburg.
Everett has since been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery.
The Virginia High School League is said to be reviewing the incident, as well as the Portsmouth National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Everett has since held a rally outside of her school, I.C. Norcom High School, in Portsmouth, Virginia and spoke out about the incident.
She said: “Thank you all for supporting me.
“Nobody else wanted to hear my story except for the people that know me and people that know.
“I would never do anything like that. I would never harm anybody.
“I'm not a fighter. I’m not even confrontational.
“I wouldn’t even do that on purpose and I thank y’all for believing in me and I love y’all.”
After Everett received a massive backlash on social media, she spoke to local media and attempted to give her side of the story.
Her parents have said they believe her version of events and have stood by her as she dealt with the fallout of the incident.
Speaking to WAVYTV10, she said: "So, on the back curve, I kind of got cut off, and I tried to pass her the first time, so I let her go ahead.
"I knew when I got fully on the curve that I was just going to have to push through past her. So, as we were coming up in the middle of the curve, we were bumping arms a lot. So, I got a little more on the outside of the curve to go around her.
“After a couple times of hitting her with my baton, I got stuck behind her back like this and it rolled up her back.
“I lost my balance, and when I pumped my arms again, she got hit. I know my intentions and I would never hit somebody on purpose."
Everett’s mother and father believe her version of events, and have insisted she wouldn’t intentionally try and hit an opponent.
Gerrard Kaonga