‘I had to help them’: Woman recounts trying to save teen after mass shooting

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Tiffany North, a registered nurse in New Jersey, traveled to Richmond with her husband to watch her stepson’s graduation at the Altria Theater on Tuesday.

“Before they ended it, we kind of came outside because there was a lot of people,” North told NBC12. “Took a couple of pictures with my husband, took a couple of pictures with his mom and then as we were walking, I told them, let’s get out of the crowd.”

While North was outside, gunfire erupted in Monroe Park.

“I just hear a lot of gunfire. I jumped on the floor,” she said.

North heard the mass shooting unfold in Monroe Park following Huguenot High School’s graduation inside the Altria Theater. As North started heading towards the car, she noticed someone on the ground needing medical attention.

“I just felt like when my husband was telling me to run to the car, I just said to him, ‘I have to help him,’” said North.

North tells NBC12 she got on the floor and started doing chest compressions on the young man.

“I wanted him to stay with us,” said North. “That’s what I was saying to him when I was giving him the compressions, just like I didn’t know his name at the time. I was just telling him stay with me, baby, come on. You can do it.”

Soon after, North found out the teen she was trying to save was 18-year-old Shawn Jackson, who was shot minutes after receiving his diploma on stage. Jackson and his stepfather, Renzo Smith, died from their injuries.

“After everything was said and done, I realized he still had on his graduation gown. Like this kid just graduated,” said North. “I was just shocked, like I can’t believe that we just experienced this.”

When she saw him on the ground, North said she couldn’t leave knowing she could help somebody.

“I just wanted to just save him,” said North.

As North continues to process the events of that day, she shares this message to everyone impacted by this tragedy.

“I’m truly sorry that this happened to the family,” North said. “I feel bad for the graduates because this is a day they have to remember.”

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