MADISON, Ala. (WAFF) – On February 5th, 2010, a gunshot was heard at Discovery Middle School.
15-year-old Hammad Memon followed behind 14-year-old Todd Brown and targeted the head.
Former member of the Madison City School Board, Phil Schmidt, stated that the school transformed into a dreadful experience.
He stated, “as a member of the school board, that was approximately the most horrifying experience one can envision when someone contacts you and instructs you to rush to this place due to a shooting incident at a school.”
Former Superintendent Dee Fowler instructed him to visit the hospital in order to be present with his family, and he hurriedly made his way to the location.
He inquired, “What did we say when we felt the need to visit the family at the hospital and what did you say?”
Afterward, Schmidt and his colleagues were assigned the responsibility of collaborating with community leaders to gather a response.
“He stated that prior to the occurrence, he knew someone who almost made a promise, but now I am aware that I do not know all the correct facts. The police chief mentioned that I should remember one of the things he said really struck us at that time.”
“That data must reach us prior to the occurrence of such events.”
The committee embraced the idea and established the policy to safeguard the telephone line (256-604-2345).
It is a confidential hotline for students to contact the police in case they anticipate an event.
During his tenure on the board, Schmidt mentioned that the implementation of the line led to the cessation of conflicts and the referral of students to counseling services.
The statement was sent by Robby Parker, the current Superintendent of Madison City Schools, to WAFF.
On February 5, 2010, it was definitely a dark day for Madison City Schools and Discovery Middle School. In order to build pathways and peer relationships, an adult mentor program is implemented in all elementary schools as a popular means of achieving this. We have placed an increased emphasis on building relationships with students to ensure that every child has a sense of belonging. In addition, our district has now expanded the School Resource Officer (SRO) program to cover every school and has strengthened the SRO program. This decision was made based on the highly effective Text-to-Protect tool. After the tragic incident at DMS, a city task force was created to look for ways to prevent future occurrences and deeply reflect on areas that need improvement. We mourn not only the loss of Todd Brown, but also recognize the contributions he made to society. He will forever hold a place in our hearts and in the Brown family.
In the courtroom, lawyer Mark McDaniel advocated for Brown’s family and assisted prosecutors in seeking an adult trial for Memon.
He has a photograph of Brown mere inches away from his desk.
“There’s no way you can convince anybody, that Hammad Memon didn’t know right from wrong. He meant to kill Todd Brown,” said.
Memon was prosecuted as a grown-up and defense attorney Bruce Gardner contended that his Pakistani legacy made him a subject at school.
He said, “If you’re the type of social outcast, you would call Osama and kill him and all that, and it was terrible at school.”
He had just been provoked to the point where he didn’t see any alternative to do this course of action, and it was a very bad choice.
The family attempted to escape the nation but were apprehended by the Dallas Police.
Memon admitted his guilt and is currently serving a 30-year prison term.
His eligibility for parole is set for December 1, 2026.
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