Mother charged after 13-year-old takes handgun to school, assaults student

HOPKINS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Hopkins mother is facing charges after a 13-year-old brought a handgun to school and was seen on video chasing another student while pointing it at them, before hitting them with it.

Hopkins student brings gun to school

What we know:

Rochelle Lashon Dockery, 34, is charged with the neglectful storage of a firearm, a gross misdemeanor, for an incident that allegedly occurred on Feb. 13 at Hopkins West Junior High School.

According to charges filed in Hennepin County, a Hopkins Police Department detective was called to the school on the report of an assault.

Once onsite, the detective was shown video footage that showed the 13-year-old student had been carrying a black handgun and yelling at another. He is then seen chasing the victim, and then hitting them in the head with the gun, causing a "loud cracking noise," according to charges.

Dig deeper:

Officers learned that the suspect lived with his mother, later identified as Dockery.

When interviewing those involved, detectives learned that prior to the recorded incident, there had been an altercation that led to the 13-year-old going home to grab the handgun.