Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 6 december 2017

Trial opens in death of teen who shielded girls from gunfire

of bravery. also described Dobson as
Knox County Assistant Dis- a “protector” and added
trict Attorney Phil Morton neither he nor his friends
said Dobson was killed had any idea why people
amid a series of connected were shooting.
gang-related shootings in A football player at Knox-
Knoxville that day. He said ville’s Fulton High School,
Dobson and his friends had Dobson posthumously re-
gathered on a back porch ceived the Arthur Ashe
after attending an eve- Courage Award at the
ning high school basketball 2016 ESPYs.
game when shooters ap- The award recognizes indi-
proached, firing shots from viduals embodying the spirt
at least four weapons. of Ashe, who dedicated his
“The girls didn’t know what life to human rights advo-
was going on,” the pros- cacy.
ecutor told the jury. “The Each of the defendants has
guys thought it might be his own lawyer at trial.
gunfire at first when these Kit Rodgers, the lawyer
things started popping off. for Williams, asked the jury
The girls weren’t sure if it to “look at the actual evi-
was firecrackers or what dence; don’t get caught
have you. Zaevion’s instinct up in the story.”
kicked in, and as a protec- “Sometimes it’s not the
tor, he shielded these girls things you’re told,” said
In this April 26, 2017, file photo, Zenobia Dobson kisses a photograph of her son Zaevion Dobson from gunfire.” lawyer T. Scott Jones, rep-
that serves as the memorial marker for a new playground named and dedicated in his honor in Morton said Dobson bled to resenting Bassett. “It’s the
Knoxville, Tenn. (Saul Young/Knoxville News via AP)
death on the porch, while things you’re not told.”
By STEVE MEGARGEE Tennessee high school stu- murder charges in connec- the girls were unhurt. The Morton said the shooting
AP Sports Writer dent, a promising football tion with the Dec. 17, 2015, prosecutor cited witness that claimed Dobson’s life
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — player lauded for shielding death of 15-year-old Za- accounts as saying some occurred after two other
A prosecutor said as the two girls from the gunfire. evion Dobson in Knoxville. armed youths in hoodies shootings earlier that day,
murder trial of three young Christopher Drone Bassett, Dobson’s decision to pro- walked up, said nothing and that Bassett’s aunt and
men opened Tuesday that Kipling Deshawn Colbert tect his two friends was lat- and began shooting — but the mother of a Knoxville
at least 34 shots were fired and Richard Gregory Wil- er hailed by then-President there was no indication man named Brandon Perry
in an attack that killed a liams III all face first-degree Barack Obama as an act Dobson was targeted. He were shot earlier.q

Man charged with killing teen girl found shot in crashed car

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — before the car crashed in Waterbury, was charged resident Evelyse Santiago, created this tumultuous
A man shot and killed a Connecticut, police said. Tuesday with murder in the a high school student. situation to the point where
16-year-old girl in a vehicle Dominique Pittman, 27, of Monday night death of city Officers responded to the Pittman shot Santiago,”
crash around 8:30 p.m. said Waterbury Deputy
They found Pittman and Chief Fernando Spagnolo.
Santiago inside the ve- Authorities said the firearm
hicle. Santiago had been used in the shooting was re-
shot twice in the head and covered from the vehicle.
once in the hand. She was School officials said Santia-
pronounced dead at the go had recently transferred
scene. from Crosby High School
Pittman was taken to a to Wilby High School. Grief
hospital for minor injuries. counselors were avail-
He was then taken to the able for students at both
Waterbury Police Depart- schools.
ment, police said. Pittman is being held on
Police believe Pittman and $1 million bond. He will be
Santiago had been in a re- arraigned Wednesday in
lationship. Superior Court. It wasn’t im-
“Something occurred mediately clear Tuesday if
throughout the night that he has an attorney.q