Reddick man charged in fatal shooting outside North Marion Middle School
CITRA — A Reddick man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a man Wednesday evening in the parking lot at North Marion Middle School.
The shooting occurred while an end-of-year awards ceremony was happening inside the school. Marion County Public Schools spokesperson Kevin Christian said no students were involved in the incident.
According to Marion County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Lt. Paul Bloom, deputies received the call at 6:03 p.m. and arrived at the scene 6 minutes later. Deputies found one man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taking to a local hospital where he later died.
Witnesses at the scene told detectives that two men were arguing when one pulled out a gun and shot the other. Jail records show Roderick Kelvin Watson Jr., 34, of Reddick, has been charged with murder in the case. He is currently being held on no bond at the Marion County Jail.
At 7:21 p.m., after sheltering in place, at least four dozen people exited the school safely.
Kayla Gaines, who was inside the school during the shooting, said the ceremony had started when people heard shots from outside. She said people ran to a teachers' lounge and locked themselves inside until given the all-clear by law enforcement. They were then led to the auditorium where they gave statements to deputies before being released.
Another woman, who declined to give her name, attended the ceremony with her four children.
She said the sixth-graders had just finished receiving their awards when the crowd of about 60-to-70 people heard several gunshots. She said a group of about 20 people ran to the eighth-grade hallway and locked themselves inside a classroom.
"They knew what to do," she said of the teachers and school officials."It was a nerve-racking thing."
According to Watson's arrest report, deputies saw Watson sitting on a bench and he told them he was the shooter. Watson put his hands behind his back and was detained by deputies, officials said. Watson told a deputy that the gun was in an older-model vehicle.
Detective Andrew Canterberry interviewed a school official about the shooting. The official, a woman, said she was inside the building when a staff member told her to call 911. The woman said she went outside and saw the victim was face down and Watson was not far away. She said there were children and two women also at the scene. Watson told the school official, "I shot him," the report states.
The school official said she asked Watson if he had any weapons and was told "it's in the car." The woman said she told Watson to go to the bench, which he did. She said Watson was cooperative and calm.
The victim was identified as Joseph James Juarez Coles, 32.
Canterberry then interviewed a woman. She said she's the fiancée of Watson, and the mother of Coles' three children.
The woman said she was with Watson to attend the awards ceremony, and Coles also was at the event. She said they were in the parking lot discussing the children's arrangements. She said Coles wanted to take the children, but she told him they had a few more days left in school. She said Coles grabbed her arm, when Watson got out of the vehicle and shot Coles, the report said.
She said Watson punched Coles several times after the shooting. She said Watson used her 9 mm handgun that was in the vehicle.
Detective Henrik Osthed interviewed the family who was at the location. The man told the detective he heard a loud bang and ushered his children to run. He said he saw Watson grab Coles by the back of the neck and shoot him several times as they went to the ground.
On the ground, the man said Watson beat "the victim's lifeless body" with his fists. He said Watson then went into his vehicle while others performed life-saving measures. He also said Watson was walking around with a smile on his face and showed no remorse, according to the report.
A teenager interviewed by a detective said there was an argument about who was going where. The juvenile said Watson got out of the car and someone told him to get back. A woman grabbed Watson, but he pulled away. Armed with a gun, the minor said Watson shot the victim. Coles tried to run, but Watson caught up to him and grabbed the back of his neck and shot him, the report said. The teen said Watson appeared calm.
Detective Chase King found a silver-colored handgun. The report states Coles was shot at least six times, all of them in the upper body.
While Watson was transported to the Sheriff's Office, he said the incident was self-defense. Officials said he declined to be interviewed.
Canterberry wrote in the report that the evidence doesn't appear to suggest self-defense and that there was probable cause to arrest Watson for second-degree murder.
Watson does not have a criminal history.
In a statement released by Sheriff Billy Woods, he said, “A senseless homicide is always upsetting to each of us. But, in this instance, even more upsetting because we have children that have done well throughout the school year and are there to receive awards when an adult chose to set the worst example and commit such a violent act nearby. I immediately put every available detective on this case, and I am proud of their work in getting this disgusting individual off our streets and away from our children.”
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: MCSO: One man shot during awards ceremony North Marion Middle School
