18-year-old Dexter Mills, Jr. faces a murder charge in connection to the fatal shooting of former Rolesville High School principal Ericka Lucas.
Wake County teen faces a judge
Mills was assigned a public defender in court Wednesday, and a judge ordered that he be held without bond.
As previously reported, he also faces a charge for possession of a stolen firearm from Franklin County. It's not clear if that weapon was used in the fatal shooting on August 29th.
During his hearing, Mills tried speaking to several people in the audience. Some of them spoke with ABC11 after the hearing and identified themselves as his relatives.
Dasia Gill identified herself as his aunt and said they're all distraught by what happened.
"Like I said, everybody is really family in the neighborhood that we stay in, but it's a sad situation," she said.
As previously reported, police also arrested a 16-year-old in connection with the shooting investigation. The teen's charges have been upgraded to a murder charge.
Police say Lucas was not the intended target when shots rang out on East Nelson Avenue last month.
Gill says she was there when the shooting happened, and shared details about the shooting that previously had not been reported by officials.
ABC11 reached out to Wake Forest police for clarity, and asked if the department could comment on the claims made by the family.
Wake Forest police say the investigation is ongoing and could not comment on the claims.
Mills is due back in court on October 1.
A resilient educator remembered
56-year-old Lucas worked as a Wake County educator for more than 30 years.
She started off in 1991 as a teacher at Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School.
Lucas held multiple positions, including as assistant principal and principal, at various schools throughout the district.
Most notably, her former colleague Sebastian Shipp says she was the first principal of Rolesville High School.
Shipp is now the assistant principal at Millbrook Magnet High School.
He says Lucas's time in that role made a lasting impact on students, and says Lucas understood the impact she could have in that role.
"For every student that she touched, particularly students of color, it allowed those students to really be seen," he said. "She knew who she was as an African American educator, and being in a unique role as an African American principal."
Shipp says the impact Lucas had on her students is part of the reason why her loss is such a loss for all of Wake County.
"She never let a student leave her presence without understanding that they had the capability of doing anything that they wanted or dreamed to do," he said. "She lived, not just as a person, but as a great educator."
"Ericka Lucas's life was a testament to the power of care, leadership, and unwavering commitment to our youth. As a devoted member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, she exemplified sisterhood, service, and community uplift, leaving behind a legacy of love, resilience, and empowerment," Jamial Black, Director of Roots of Wisdom Scholars said. "Her memory will live on in the students she uplifted, the families she supported, and the community she strengthened."