DA declines to press homicide charges in fatal shooting at a California high school
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office has decided not to press homicide charges in Friday’s shooting at Natomas High School that killed a 16-year-old boy, saying the shooting occurred during a “violent attempted robbery” that it categorized as self-defense.
According to a statement from District Attorney Thien Ho’s office, the victim, identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as De’Jon Sledge, and another person entered the Natomas High School campus with a handgun searching for a specific student. Neither Sledge nor the person he was with were attending Natomas High.
“During a violent attempted robbery of the targeted student, the deceased was shot by the student who was also armed,” the District Attorney’s Office statement said.
The DA’s Office said the “evidence cannot establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“After a full review of the facts, evidence, the applicable law, specifically as it relates to self-defense, we determined there was insufficient evidence to file homicide-related charges,” the statement read.
The Sacramento Police Department announced the arrest of a 16-year-old suspect in connection with the shooting Tuesday morning, saying that the boy was expected to be charged with “a number of felony firearm-related charges” after being detained the night before as a person of interest.
The DA’s Office, when asked about any additional charges the teen would face, said it could not comment due to state laws around juvenile suspects.
The arrest came a day after Sledge, 16, was identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office on Monday as the victim of the shooting and classes resumed on the Truxel Road campus.
A statement released Monday on behalf of his family by EMPACT, a Sacramento nonprofit advocacy group, described Sledge as an honors student who was focused on his academics and improving his grades.
“My son’s life did not deserve to be taken from us,” the statement, written by Sledge’s mother, read.
In the statement, Sledge’s mother asked the community to “refrain from spreading false narratives” about him and said he was not affiliated with any gang.
“My son was caring. He was passionate. He was determined to walk the right path,” the statement read. “Did he make mistakes? Of course, just like any other teenager in this world. But anyone who truly knew my son knew what kind of person he really was.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 3:24 PM with the headline "DA declines to press homicide charges in fatal shooting at a California high school."
