Hardiman bound over to grand jury

Hardiman facing first degree murder charges  from November school shooting

                     Jadon Hardiman

by Danny Wade

A preliminary hearing regarding the shooting at a Humboldt High School basketball game was held Monday morning, June 20 in Gibson County General Sessions Court in Trenton, Tenn. The defendant and alleged shooter, Jadon Hardiman, was bound over to the grand jury by Gibson County General Sessions Judge Mark Agee. 

According to the district attorney’s office, Hardiman is facing two counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted first degree murder, one count of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm on school property.

Charges stem from an incident that occured during a basketball game between the Humboldt Vikings and the Northside Indians on November 30, 2021 in the lobby area of the Thomas Ray Boykin Gymnasium at Humboldt Jr./Sr. High School. According to court documents, video surveillance showed Hardiman and Justin Pankey getting into an altercation in the lobby concession stand area. Hardiman pulled out a gun and shot Pankey. As Hardiman fled the scene, he pointed the gun toward the crowded lobby area and shot at least two more times, seriously injuring Xavier Clifton of Jackson, Tenn. as well as hitting Dontavious Cross, also of Jackson. Cross was taken to an area hospital where he was treated and released.

Clifton was shot in the neck area and was airlifted to the Med in Memphis, Tenn. He was paralyzed from the gunshot wound. Clifton later died on March 6, adding an additional first degree murder charge against Hardiman.

Hardiman has been in the Gibson County Correctional Complex since he was arrested for the shooting and is being held without bond.