The Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education has approved a $300,000 settlement for the family of a student killed in a shooting at Antioch High School in January.
The family of Josselin Corea Escalante, the 16-year-old killed in the Jan. 22 shooting, filed the lawsuit in July, alleging MNPS and Metro Nashville failed to protect students from harm and should have taken steps to create a safer environment for students.
Lawsuit alleges district failed to protect students from harm
The family claimed MNPS was negligent due to the shooter’s history of violent behavior. This background is noted in documents made public via a new state law that allows courts to release records of a juvenile who is deceased after committing homicide on school grounds.
The records showed that the shooter, 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, threatened another student with a box cutter in 2024, which led to him being charged with reckless endangerment and carrying a weapon on school property. Henderson was also reportedly involved in a fight at Antioch High School and made threats to teachers who noted their concerns over his behavior.
The lawsuit additionally referenced Henderson’s social media accounts, in which he made and shared content about violence and racism, including a 2023 incident when Henderson was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor after posting child pornography to Discord.
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Escalante's family also noted in the lawsuit that the school’s AI-powered weapon detection system, Omnilert, failed to detect the firearm used by Henderson on the day of the shooting. In February, MNPS signed a $1.25 million annual contract with Evolv, a separate AI-operated weapon detection system, to be implemented in all area high schools. MNPS approved a pilot expansion of Evolv to local middle schools in September.
Escalante’s family originally sued for $700,000 in damages, the maximum amount allowed under Tennessee’s Governmental Tort Liability Act. The MNPS board unanimously approved the $300,000 settlement with no discussion at a board meeting on Nov. 10. MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted tells Scene sister publication the Nashville Post the settlement amount is inclusive of attorney fees.
MNPS Board Chair Freda Player provided the Post with the following statement:
“Our hearts remain with the family of Josselin Corea Escalante following the tragic shooting at Antioch High School. From the first moments after this heartbreaking event, the Board of Education has worked alongside district leadership and community partners to provide support for the Antioch community and for those most deeply affected by this tragedy.
"While we believe the school and district took appropriate steps at the time and continue to strengthen those efforts to protect students and staff, this settlement reflects our commitment to supporting the family while preventing further trauma through protracted litigation.
"The safety and security of our students and staff remain our highest priority. Since this tragedy, the district has partnered with the Metro Nashville Police Department to increase the presence of school resource officers at Antioch High School and has expanded safety measures across the district, including the installation of advanced concealed weapon detection systems at every high school and ongoing expansion to middle schools.
"We are grateful to the Metro Legal Department for helping to bring this resolution forward, and we once again extend our deepest condolences to Josselin’s family, friends and all who continue to mourn her loss.”
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
