Atlantic City Board Members Not Informed About Shooting

During the 2:00 p.m hour today, (Friday, January 13, 2023), there was a shooting near the Richmond Avenue School in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Law enforcement sources have confirmed that ShotSpotter confirmed that two gunshots were fired.

A male was shot and taken to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Division with what one source has described “as what appears to be non-life threatening injuries.”

The identity of the shooting victim has not yet been publicly disclosed.

Atlantic City Board of Education Member John Devlin has confirmed that La’Quetta Small, Atlantic City Superintendent of Public Schools did not advise board members or staff about the shooting and took no action as a result of the dangerous and violent incident.

According to Devlin, it appears that no steps were taken to lock-down the school (and if necessary schools) at the time of an active shooter situation.

We have reported on multiple occasions during Small’s short tenure about times when board members did not receive proper notification about incidents.

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Typically, Superintendents are guilty of over communicating with Board Members, who are the boss of the superintendent.

“This is a very tragic event,” said Devlin, who has been a member of the Atlantic City Board of Education for more than 20 years.

“To not to inform the board members, or, at least the public is an absolute crime,” said Devlin. “We work for the public, not the other way around. Unfortunately, the superintendent doesn't feel she has to explain her actions to anyone obviously, said Devlin.

When the late Fred Nickles was Atlantic City Superintendent of Public Schools, whenever there was a shooting near any school … Nickles immediately placed them in a lock-down mode for the safety of students and staff and until until proper threat assessments could be performed.

SOURCES: Law enforcement sources and John Devlin.