Alaila Everett broke down in tears thanking her community for support at a bizarre rally just one day after she was charged with battery and assault for hitting an opponent with a baton.
Everette sobbed as she took the microphone and thanked her friends and family for standing by her as she faces accusations that she intentionally struck another high schooler at a track meet.
‘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,’ she said at the rally outside her high school.
‘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,’ she said in video footage obtained by local local CBS affiliate WTKR News.
As she gave her brief speech, rally attendees yelled that they supported her and stood with her.
Everett has maintained that she hit her opponent, Kaelen Tucker, on accident while they participated in a relay event at an indoor track championship in Virginia on March 6.
Tucker was competing with a rival school in the district as a member of Brookville High School in Lynchburg, which is about two hours west of Richmond.
Shocking footage of Everett striking Tucker in the head with a baton quickly went viral on social media.
Alaila Everett broke down in tears when she addressed dozens of supporters at a rally
Everett spoke at a support rally at her high school after she was hit with assault charges
Video captured the moment Tucker was hit with a baton and fell to the ground at a track meet
In the video, Everett can allegedly be seen seen winding up the baton behind her back before hitting Tucker. Tucker then fell to the ground as Everett continued the race.
Everett and her entire team at IC Norcom High School were disqualified for ‘contact interference.’
The track star previously admitted that she understood that the video looks like she intentionally hit Tucker, but claimed she would never hurt someone.
However, Tucker didn’t buy her story, telling local ABC affiliate, WSET News, ‘I’m still trying to take it all in, I can’t believe it happened.’
Her mother, Tamarro Tucker, slammed the team at Norcom for not checking in on her daughter after the accident.
‘No apologies. No coaches. No athlete. No anything. Even if it was an accident, which I don’t believe it was… nothing,’ she told the outlet.
Tucker’s parents have since said that Everett’s father did reach out to apologize and received an apology from the athletic director at Norcom.
Tucker said in the interview that she just wanted answers and an explanation from Everett.
Everett gave an emotional interview detailing the mental health struggles she’s had since the incident at a track meet
Everett sat with her family for an interview with ABC to advocate for her innocence
Everett claimed in a separate interview that she tried to reach out Tucker on social media, but was blocked from her page.
Everett’s family has vehemently maintained her innocence, speaking publicly in support of their daughter.
‘We will continue to uplift and support our child to the upmost. We as a community will continue to fight for her,’ Everett’s father, Genoa Cost, wrote on social media.
‘The truth will be exposed in due time and god’s timing is always perfect. Unity for Alaila.’
Everett said that the incident has significantly impacted her mental health, and she’s received death threats and been a victim of racial slurs since the incident.
Kaelen Tucker, pictured at a meet in January, was hit on the head while running at a track meet
Portsmouth NAACP President James Boyd attended the support rally for Everett and said the threats she received was ‘unacceptable.’
Community activist Germain Green also came out to support the teen’s family, saying at the rally, ‘It bothered me to my heart to see how the whole world was dragging this young lady, dragging her character based on what they thought they saw.
‘I just wanted to step up, speak out, and bring unity and let this young lady know that the city of Portsmouth has her back.’
The Virginia High School League has previously said that they won’t comment on disciplinary actions but stood by the decision to disqualify Everett.
Tucker has since been diagnosed with a concussion and possible skull fracture due to the hit.
