He says what was supposed to be a fundraiser fashion show to help dreams come true for less fortunate kids around Christmas, turned into a nightmare outside the school's auditorium.
"A person that was not even a student came on campus, there was an altercation and ended up shooting one of our students in the foot," Westover Principal Mark Smith said. "It was a ninth grade student. I talked with his mom. He's doing fine. He actually went into surgery today. But he is recuperating fine and he's going to make a full recovery."
Investigators say 19-year-old Terrance Donnell Johnson, Jr. was one of several people involved in an argument that broke out during a fashion show at Westover High School shortly after 10 p.m.
Injured in the shooting was a 15-year-old male, who is a freshman at the school. The victim suffered a wound to the foot area and was transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.
Investigators believe there is a connection between the suspect and the victim.
"Apparently there was an argument that's been going on for a long time between two families and it escalated to the point that it moved outside into a parking lot area and that's when shots were fired," Sheriff's spokesperson Debbie Tanna said.
The principal plans to meet with his school improvement team to decide whether to cancel after school programs like the fashion show on campus.
"I hate to punish those kids that are doing what's right and doing what we ask because of the action of somebody that's not even a student here," Smith said. "But our primary responsibility has to be safety."
Johnson is charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and discharging a firearm on school property.
He made his first court appearance Monday afternoon at the Cumberland County Detention Center. He is currently under $50,000 bond.
