The Virginia high school track runner seen striking another runner in the head with a baton on a viral video, held a rally for supporters after being charged with assault and battery.
Alaila Everett of I.C. Norcom High School was seen striking fellow runner Kaelen Tucker in the head at the Virginia state championships earlier this month.
NEW: High school track runner gets attacked with a baton in the middle of a relay at the VSHL Class 3 State Indoor Championships.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 9, 2025
Kaelen Tucker was on the second leg of the 4x200m relay at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, when she got smacked in the head.
Tucker suffered a… pic.twitter.com/DXPMwZcaRP
The blow sent Tucker crashing to the ground, clutching the back of her head. Later, she was diagnosed with a concussion and possible skull fracture.
Since the incident, Everett has vehemently proclaimed her innocence, claiming she would never intentionally hurt someone and that the baton strike was accidental.
“Eventually, after a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back like this, and it rolled up her back,” she told WAVY. “I lost my balance. When I pumped my arms again, she got hit.”
That argument did not sway Lynchbury Commonwealth Attorney Bethany Harrison, who promptly followed up with assault and battery charges.
On Thursday, Everett held a rally for her supporters in conjunction with the Portsmouth chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
“Thank you all for supporting me,” she told supporters. “There’s nobody else who wanted to hear my story except for people that know me and people that know I would never do anything like that. I would never harm anybody. I’m not a fighter. I’m not confrontational. I wouldn’t even do that on purpose.”
Hundreds of people gathered to support Track star Alaila Everett after believing she’s being wrongly accused of purposefully attacking another track star.
— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) March 13, 2025
“Thank you for believing me!” pic.twitter.com/fLs3inrltY
“The Everett family has experienced racial slurs, they’ve experienced death threats, and we think unequivocally that those things are unacceptable,” Portsmouth NAACP President James Boyd told Fox News.
Both the victim and the alleged assailant in this case are black.
“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,” local activist Germain Green said at the event. “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.”
A community rally was held today in support of Alaila Everett, the athlete seen striking her opponent from behind with a relay baton. Everett says it was accidental. President of the Portsmouth chapter of the @NAACP was there, more from him tonight on @WAVY_News at 10 & 11. pic.twitter.com/pY3yelhmGU
— Markeshia Jackson TV (@MarkeshiaonTV) March 14, 2025
Everett faces one misdemeanor charge of assault and battery.
