Update: Funeral Set For Discovery Middle Student Shot Inside School

Funeral arrangements are set for Todd Brown, the student shot at Discovery Middle School on February 5. Brown's funeral will be Friday, February 12 at noon, at Oakwood University Church. Friday is an in-service day for teachers, so students will be able to attend.

Royal Funeral Home is handling arrangments. There is a fund set up for Brown's family at Redstone Federal Credit Union. You can make donations to the Todd Brown Angel Fund at any location of the credit union.

Monday afternoon, Madison school leaders spoke about how school went on the first day back, after the shooting. They had a strong presence at Discovery Middle School to help students deal with Brown's death. Brown was shot in the back of the head Friday afternoon, shortly before 2pm.

Dr. Dee Fowler, Superintendent of Madison City Schools, was at the school most of the day, as was Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey, whose son attends Discovery. Both said it was a good day, and said students showed resilience as they returned to deal with the aftermath and get back to studying. Counselors were onhand to talk with students about Friday's tragedy.

Madison Mayor Paul Finley was also at Discovery on Monday, and said it made a big impression on him to see how strong the students were. He said Monday was just the first day back, and stressed the community must support the school's healing process in the days, weeks and months to come. He said he is appreciative of the school system and all they do for the children in Madison.

Finley also said the community support line will continue to be manned, as many people have called it already. The number is (256) 772-2883.

The student suspected of shooting Brown is being held in the Neaves-Davis Detention Center. Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard spoke at Monday's news conference in Madison, saying the detention hearing today was held so the judge could decide whether or not to detain the 14-year-old. He was detained, and the state made a motion for the teen to be charged as an adult in Brown's shooting. The judge set a hearing for Wednesday, February 17. At that time, the judge will hear the state's motion, and make a ruling on whether this incident will stay in juvenile court, or be certified as an adult. The outcome of the hearing will determine what happens next.

Broussard said he assigned Assistant District Attorney Tim Gann to the case.

School leaders said Monday morning students at Discovery were unbelievably strong as they returned to class, but very sad, as were faculty members. Roughly 1,000 students attend Discovery. On Monday, 12 percent of students were absent. Normally, the absentee rate is about five percent. However, that absentee rate could have been higher because of the winter weather.

The absentee rate at Bob Jones High School on Monday was 10 percent. Normal absenteeism is three percent. The absentee rate at Liberty Middle School was normal on Monday.

There were posters, letters, bears and ribbons all Discovery Middle School on Monday. Dr. Dee Fowler, Madison's Superintendent of Education, was also at the school to talk with students and comfort them. The National Children's Advocacy Center has also provided resources to the school.

Madison City Schools will post information for students and parents on the system's web site. Monday night's school board meeting has been cancelled.

The City of Madison also has a continuous chronicle of what's happened on its web site.

Madison school leaders say they are checking into how many incidents they have had, with guns in schools.

Friday's shooting happened during a class change at approximately 1:45pm. Students were at their lockers. The shooting happened in the ninth grade hallway. The ninth grader who shot Brown allegedly came up behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Assistant Principal Kevin Wilson arrived just seconds after the shooting and helped detain the alleged shooter, as did Madison Police Officer Jeff Hovis, the school resource officer assigned to Discovery. Hovis handcuffed the alleged shooter and took him into custody in the bathroom until other police officers arrived.

Madison's middle and high schools have assigned school resource officers. The elementary schools have roving resource officers.

After the shooting, the students were immediately rushed inside classrooms and secured there. Madison school officials says the response system worked, because students and faculty had practiced this plan, hoping they would never have to use it.

School leaders will review the steps taken during Friday's response to see if anything needs to be revised. They said they do this after every incident.

Dr. Fowler, and Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey will also form a joint task force to look into Friday's incident, and discuss what else needs to be done. The public is also encouraged to submit suggestions and ask questions about the process.