By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

Students returned to Discovery Middle School in Madison for the first time since a shooting incident there Friday took the life of a 9th-grader.
According to Madison city officials there were no problems, although absenteeism was a little higher than average.
School security was increased with extra police officers present, both in uniform and plain clothes, according to Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey.
At the same time students were getting back to normal classroom activities, a hearing was being held for the 14-year-old boy accused of being the shooter in Friday's incident.
The suspect is charged with murder in connection with death of Todd Brown. Police say the boy pulled a gun in a hallway at Discovery during class change and shot Brown in the head at close range.
Brown was taken to Huntsville Hospital and died a short time later.
During the hearing the boy, whose name is not being released by authorities due to his age, was ordered held at the Neaves-Davis Home For Children.
Madison District Attorney Rob Broussard said the boy would next face another hearing before a district judge on Feb. 17.
During that hearing a judge would decide whether to hand the case over to circuit court, where the boy would be treated as an adult, or keep the case in juvenile court.
If the suspect is treated as a juvenile he could only be imprisoned until he turned 21, said Broussard.
In the adult system he could face life in prison.
Broussard said the case has been assigned to Assistant District Attorney Tim Gann.
The suspect is now being represented by defense attorney Bruce Gardner.

Princeton Boulevard wears a pristine coat of white Monday morning. WT Martin/HNW (3)

An ambulance makes its way west on Governors Drive as heavy snow falls.

Traffic heads toward the hill on Airport Road.

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

A surprise dusting of snow coated the northern areas of Huntsville and Madison County Monday morning, scattering wrecks across the area and sending emergency services scrambling to spread salt and sand and close bridges and overpasses.
What weather forecasters predicted would be a simple rain event had quickly turned to snow by mid-morning.
Driving in areas such as I-565 west, Research Park Boulevard, Wall Triana Boulevard, Memorial Parkway, Monte Sano, and Chapman Mountain became extremely hazardous as numerous accidents were called in to police.
The only area seemingly unaffected by the weather was the far southern portion of the city.
From Martin Road south there was only rain and a little farther south of that roads were still dry.
No reports of school closings have been received and the snow and rain were expected to depart the area by early afternoon.

(From release) The Huntsville Police Department and Alabama Department of Transportation have closed the elevated sections of Interstate 565 till further notice due to hazardous travel conditions.
Please do not call 911 for road conditions.
All interested persons can follow road closures at www.madisoncountyema.com and www.twitter.com/hmcema.

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

This video features extensive comments from Madison School Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler and Police Chief Larry Muncey. Officials met with concerned citizens Sunday at Bob Jones HS to update them about Friday's school shooting.

Students leave Discovery Middle School following a shooting incident Friday. Photo by John Few/Madison Magazine

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

The shooting death of a 9th grader at a Madison middle school Friday was an isolated incident and parents should not fear sending their children back to school Monday.
Hundreds of people, many of them concerned parents, packed the auditorium at Bob Jones High Sunday afternoon to hear Madison officials deliver that message and receive more information on the shooting that took the life of Todd Brown.
Brown, a 9th grader at Discovery Middle School, was shot in the head by another student at 1:45 p.m. Friday and was pronounced dead a short time later at Huntsville Hospital.

(From release) At a news conference this afternoon, school and law enforcement officials provided an update on the activities in response to the shooting on Friday at Discovery Middle School. School personnel and community leaders held numerous meetings throughout the day to discuss plans for returning to school on Monday and what resources will be in place to support students, parents, and staff.

(From release) Join the Huntsville Havoc and The Station No. 2 at Bridge Street as they present Havoc Waiter Night to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville & Tennessee Valley, Inc. (UCP) Monday, Feb. 8, 5-9 p.m. at The Station No. 2.

Michael Roberts

(From release) A St. Louis entrepreneur and author will help Alabama A&M University celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Department of Community Planning and Urban Studies during a two-day on-campus event scheduled February 25-26.

Kenneth Shipp, Jr., is escorted from the courtroom after jurors said he should serve life behind bars. WT Martin/HNW

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

A former engineer at Redstone Arsenal should spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of killing a Huntsville police officer in 2007.
A Madison County jury made that recommendation to Circuit Judge Bruce Williams Friday evening after a day of testimony and passionate arguments concerning the fate of Kenneth Clarence Shipp, Jr.
Shipp, 55, was found guilty of capital murder Thursday for shooting Huntsville Police Officer William Eric Freeman.

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

This video features a press conference late Friday in which Madison officials provided details on a shooting that left a Discovery Middle School student dead.

Todd T. Brown/ Facebook

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

A 14-year-old boy has died after he was shot by a fellow student Friday afternoon at Discovery Middle School.
Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey identified the victim as Todd T. Brown. He is a 9th grader at DMS.
Officials held a press conference late Friday where they announced Brown's passing but would not provide any additional details.
Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong said no questions would be taken.
There will be a community-wide support meeting at Bob Jones HS from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
HNW will shortly post a video of the entire press conference.

The jury has decided Kenneth Shipp should receive life in prison without parole for killing Huntsville police officer Eric Freeman.

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

The jury in the capital murder trial of Kenneth Shipp has reached a decision as whether Shipp will receive life in prison or get the death penalty.
The jury passed the message at 6:20 p.m., a little more than an hour after starting deliberations.
HNW will post the decision as soon as it is handed down and will have a full report as soon as possible.

Madison police released the following statement shortly after 5 p.m. regarding the shooting Friday after at Discovery Middle School:

At 1:45 pm, emergency personnel responded to a shooting at Discovery Middle School.
Todd T. Brown, a 14 year old student, was shot and rushed to Huntsville Hospital.
The Huntsville Hospital trauma team was alerted to the incident while the ambulance was enroute. He remains in critical condition at this time.

By William T. Martin
HuntsvilleNewswire

A 15-year-old boy is reportedly in critical condition after he shot in the head by another student at Discovery Middle School in Madison Friday afternoon.
According to local reports and a release from the city of Madison, the shooting happened shortly before 2 p.m.
The victim was taken to Huntsville Hospital and is in "extremely critical condition."
The school was locked down for a short time however the shooter was taken into custody by Madison police.
The names of the victim and the suspect have not been released.
No other injuries were reported.
HNW will post updates on this story as information becomes available.