Over the weekend, a viral video captured what seemed to be a shocking incident at a track meet, where a girl was struck in the head by a baton during a relay race. However, the alleged attacker has now spoken out, asserting that the incident was purely accidental.
The event took place during the 4×200 meter relay at the VHSL Class 3 State Indoor Championships at Liberty University on Friday. During the second leg of the race, Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker attempted to merge into lane one while competing for second place. As Tucker moved ahead, she was struck in the head from behind by her opponent’s baton.
“When we get onto the other side of the track we have to cross to lane one, you have to merge in, and as I was coming up on her she kind of made me get cut off a little bit so I backed away,” Tucker explained to WSLS.
“When we got to the curve she kept bumping me in my arm and when we got off the curve I finally passed her and that was when she hit me with the baton.”
Footage of the moment appears to show her competitor, Alaila Everett, deliberately winding up and striking Tucker in the head with her baton. The impact was severe enough that a doctor later diagnosed Tucker with a concussion and a possible skull fracture. However, Everett maintains that the strike was unintentional.
“I know my intentions and I would never hit someone on purpose,” Everett told Wavy.com.
According to Everett, she accidentally hit Tucker after losing her balance.
“After a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back like this, and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance and, when I pumped my arms again, she got hit,” she explained.
Everett also revealed that she has since been subjected to death threats and racial slurs in the aftermath of the incident.
“They are assuming my character, calling me ghetto and racial slurs, death threats,” she said. “All of this off of a nine-second video.”
Following the race, Tucker expressed disappointment that she never received an apology from Everett or anyone associated with her. Everett, however, insists that she has attempted to reach out but has been blocked on social media.
