A Virginia track runner is facing an assault and battery charge after hitting another runner in the head with a baton during a track meet.
The incident happened during an indoor track championship in Virginia over the weekend.
Brookville High junior Kaelen Tucker, 16, was running the second leg of a girls 4×400 meter relay final when she breezed past 17-year-old Alaila Everett from IC Norcom High School.
In shocking video, Alaila is seen raising her arm and bashing Kaelen on the back of the head with her baton. Kaelen lost her balance and stumbled off the track.
A high school track runner was attacked with a baton during a relay at the state championships ? pic.twitter.com/qd4wll7H1I
— internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F) March 10, 2025
Alaila and her high school were disqualified by race officials for “contact interference”.
In an interview on ABC, Alaila claims she has new footage that proves she is innocent.
Alaila claims Kaelen drifted into her lane and the victim’s arm hit her baton.
NEW: Track runner who is accused of attacking another runner with a metal baton in the head goes on ABC, says she has new footage that proves she is innocent.
Alaila Everett is now doing visual reenactments of the incident.
"Her arm was literally hitting the baton until she got… pic.twitter.com/KONB2D0G7Q
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 12, 2025
“Her arm was literally hitting the baton until she got a little ahead, and my arm got stuck like this,” Alaila said while raising her arm in a reenactment. “I would never do that on purpose. That’s not in my character.”
However, the video her family provided to ABC’s “Good Morning America” doesn’t show the initial head strike with the baton. The video begins after the initial hit.
It was a Hit. But my video shows how abc News helped attacker lie. LAWSUIT TIME!
I synced the 2 Cams and abc News hides when the Hit happens.
? pic.twitter.com/jN16auZ6wV— s?W?T (@SpaceWoot) March 12, 2025
Another X user posted a different angle showing the first strike on Kaelen’s head with the baton.
New video angle makes it pretty clear that high school runner Alaila Everett deliberately attacked Kaelen Tucker with a relay baton during a race.
Tucker claims she suffered a concussion and potential skull fracture. https://t.co/tXFHAQ7Pwl pic.twitter.com/dCPRBRUCzJ
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) March 12, 2025
During a previous interview, Alaila cried while blasting Kaelen Tucker for only thinking about her concussion injury, and not thinking about Alaila’s “mental” health.
Alaila said she has received death threats since video of the incident went viral.
She tried to say she didn’t do it intentionally ? pic.twitter.com/P6dFUcr9a7
— ????????? (@cuhromi) March 10, 2025
Alaila’s father, Genoa Cost, also appeared on “Good Morning America.” He said Kaelen’s family took out a restraining order on his daughter.
“We will continue to uplift and support our child to the upmost. We as a community will continue to fight for her,” Genoa said.
“The truth will be exposed in due time and God’s timing is always perfect. Unity for Alaila,” he added.
One X user wrote, “Her doubling down on her “innocence” is just making it worse.”
