Local News

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ― A Dillard High School teacher who may have had knowledge that a student brought a gun on to the campus before 15-year old Amanda Collette was shot to death in a school hallway has been removed from the classroom, but may be cleared in the case.

CBS4 has confirmed that the teacher has been placed on administrative leave while investigators try to determine if he was told that the suspected shooter, 15-year old Teah Wimberly, had a gun.

Sources say a student who lives in Lauderdale Lakes claims he received a text message from alleged shooter Teah Wimberly the night before the shooting. The message reportedly said she had a gun, and planned to shoot Collette.

The student also claims he told an unidentified teacher about the message before the incident occurred. An investigator is reportedly looking into whether that claim is true, if the teacher ever got the message, and if he did, when he received it.

Sources also say investigators are looking into the possibility that the teacher wasn't told about the plan until after the shots were fired. In addition, sources say, investigators are looking into one report that the student and the teacher did not speak the same language.

Police sources say that they know who owns the gun that killed Collette, but they won't say who that person is.

Collette's cousins say they hope the teacher was not negligent, but they think it was a good idea to remove the teacher pending the investigation.

"We're praying that it is not the case, that a teacher was negligent," said her cousin Chris McLemore. "And if it is the case, we have faith in the school board and of course, the community, that they will take the correct action."

CBS4 News also learned that the Broward Teachers Union is following the investigation very closely.

When asked about the possibility that the student is making up the story, McLemore said, "If the student is making it up, I'm disappointed. There needs to be some sort of dialogue with the student, about the attention he is seeking."

Brittany Moncrief, another one of Collette's cousins said, "We miss her terribly. She was an angel, and it just makes you realize you have to love and appreciate all of your relatives until the last breath is there."

School officials hope to wrap up their investigation in the next day or two. A source tells CBS4 the investigation is complete and it appears the teacher will be cleared.

Last Thursday, Wimberly was formally charged with first-degree for the death of Collette. According to the girls' friends, Wimberly was upset recently after having approached Collette about a relationship and was rejected.

Monday, Collette's family along with hundreds of friends and classmates packed St. Clements Catholic Church in Wilton Manors for a funeral mass to celebrate her life and mourn her death.

"She was always so warm and graceful. She was my angel," said friend Kayla Johnson. "She was angelic, even in her face and in her heart. That's how she was."

Friday Collette's family said they hoped Amanda's death will not have been in vain. They hope her murder will lead to better school security and awareness about school violence.

"School violence is a very serious issue and it's something that we all need to be aware of and to address. There are some preventative measures that could have been taken and maybe this would not have happened," said Amanda's aunt Teshawnia Thompson.

The Broward State Attorney's Office has indicated that Wimberly will most likely be charged as an adult. To charge her with first degree murder as an adult, prosecutors must take their evidence to a grand jury and have them hand up an indictment.

Anthony Thompson told CBS4 Reporter Carey Codd he'd focused on preserving Amanda's memory rather than carrying a grudge. "There's two kids gone and us being mad anything it won't help. It won't help nothing. So we just gonna take it as it comes."

He says they have a few ideas in the works to help children but nothing set in stone.

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