Image Credit: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and Metro Government are being sued by the parents of 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante who was killed during a school shooting in January at Antioch High School.
Around 11:00 am on the morning of January 22nd, 17-year-old Solomon Henderson opened fire in the cafeteria at the school, firing 17 shots. One hit and injured a student, while another hit Josselin, proving fatal.
By 11:30 am the school had announced that they were on lockdown. Forty-five minutes later, students were being bussed to a reunification location at a nearby hospital.
Described in the lawsuit as both a “walking red flag” and dangerous, Henderson chose to end his life at the scene, turning the 9-millimeter pistol on himself, and shooting himself in the head.
Filed in the Davidson County Circuit Court last month by attorney Perry Craft, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed in their duty — citing in loco parentis — to keep students safe.
The firearm that Henderson used in the shooting failed to be detected by anyone employed at the school, or by the school’s security system.
The lawsuit contends that Henderson’s history with juvenile court in both Clarksville and Nashville was known and taken together with his history of violent actions at school, that MNPS “should have taken steps to protect students including Josselin.”
Earlier in the 2024-2025 school year, Henderson brandished a box cutter at a female student in a school hallway in the presence of numerous students, threatening that he would “cut anyone” who came close to him.
He also made threats to teachers who reportedly voiced concerns that precautions to restrain Henderson from acts of violence ought to have been taken.
The box cutter incident, for which Henderson was charged, was not an isolated event at Antioch High School or other MNPS schools and Henderson had a history of discipline in middle school also.
All of this, including the fact that Henderson made social media posts about violence, ultimately led to the victim’s family arguing that the terrible incident could have been prevented.
Josselin’s parents are seeking $700,000 in damages.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
