TOLEDO, Ohio — Four months ago, three people were injured after a shooting at a Whitmer High School football game. No one has been arrested and police told WTOL 11 there's no update on the investigation.
The violence on his campus has spurred Whitmer senior Brady Hall to put his youth into action. The 17-year-old may not be able to vote yet, but he's running for the Washington Local Schools Board of Education.
"It's really a difficult feeling when you and your peers have to experience something like a shooting, and lately I feel like it's getting worse," Hall, who registered his campaign Tuesday, said.
He's hoping to add a younger perspective to the board and wants to create a better district for his little brother, his friends and the future.
"He's been in all the community campaigns, everything," friend and fellow classmate Emily Miller said. "He's been helping around Toledo since middle school. He definitely knows a lot and I trust him. I trust that he's going to get our voice out there for the school board and help the community and help everything that the district has to offer."
Hall said his decision to run isn't a criticism of current board or members or those who plan to run against him; it's about safety at school, which is the center of his campaign.
"Whitmer reconstruction is on the table," Hall said. "Reworking our campus to make sure there are fewer entry points, to make sure a street runs around the perimeter, maybe not straight through. These are all things that will be decided by the board."
His supporters aren't surprised to see the 17-year-old running. Malena Mudse, a parent in the WLS district, said it's just who he is.
"It's not manufactured for him," Mudse said. "It's not a face or him doing it for publicity. It's because that's what his heart is. His heart is Washington Local."
Hall's supporters also believe he'll be able to merge his student perspective with the board's perspective and bridge a gap.
After graduation, Hall plans to attend the University of Toledo.