A Toccoa mother is now facing charges after investigators say she helped her teenage son hide evidence following a gang‑related shooting in the student parking lot at Stephens County High School. The incident unfolded Tuesday night during a packed basketball doubleheader, when roughly nine shots were fired, triggering about a 30‑minute lockdown. Nobody was injured, the suspected shooter later turned himself in, and four people in total now face charges in the case.
What deputies say happened
According to deputies, an argument in the student parking lot escalated into a fight, and one person allegedly responded by firing approximately nine shots before taking off in a red Nissan Altima with a passenger. School resource officers and administrators quickly locked down the campus while deputies secured the area, interviewed witnesses and combed through security footage. The sequence of events was reported by FOX Carolina.
Arrests and charges
Authorities have identified 17‑year‑old Ja’Nareon Riley of Lavonia as the person who allegedly pulled the trigger. Investigators say Riley turned himself in the day after the shooting and is being held without bond. Deputies report that he faces multiple felony counts, including two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of participation in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, discharging a firearm on school property and two counts of conspiracy. Those charging details and the additional arrest information were summarized by WYFF.
Mother charged over alleged cover‑up
Investigators say the case did not stop with the teenagers. On Feb. 12, they arrested 33‑year‑old Jalashe Gray and charged her with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony for hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence, alleging she conspired with her son to hide evidence connected to the shooting. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, Gray was booked and released later that day on a $20,000 bond.
Other suspects and bond updates
Seventeen‑year‑old Tykerion Brown of Toccoa was the first person taken into custody at the high school on Feb. 13. Deputies initially charged him with obstructing law enforcement, and he was released on a $1,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s office press advisory. Later, authorities added two counts of aggravated assault and participation in criminal street gang activity, and Brown was taken back into custody around 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 17, according to local reporting and sheriff’s office updates. The early arrest details and public statement from the sheriff’s office were shared with outlets including WNEG and regional broadcasters.
Investigation and who is helping
The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation is still active and that multiple agencies are assisting, including the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Lavonia Police Department, Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, Hart County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Community Supervision, the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO), the GBI Metro Gang Task Force and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Officials are asking anyone with information about criminal‑street‑gang activity in Stephens County to call the tip line at (706) 886‑7048. Those agency and tip‑line details were included in local coverage and the sheriff’s office summary published by WYFF.
What comes next
Sheriff Rusty Fulbright, trying to calm rattled nerves after the scare at the high school, stressed that safety is the priority, saying, "No student, parent, or teacher should have to fear going to school or sporting events." The Stephens County District Attorney’s Office is assisting with the investigation, and officials say prosecutors will decide on formal filings and court dates as the case moves forward.
