At around 2:45 p.m. on October 9, the atmosphere at Oak Ridge High School in Orange County shifted from everyday bustle to tragedy. According to investigators, a simple bump in a school hallway—when the older student didn’t say “sorry”—set off a chain reaction that ended in the death of 16-year-old Pinien Dalmacy.
The young suspect, Jacori Antonio Redding, 15, allegedly felt disrespected. After the bump, Dalmacy didn’t apologize. Redding took that as a challenge and reportedly asked Dalmacy to meet him after school at nearby Vogt‑Meloon Park, at the basketball courts.
Witnesses told deputies Redding walked toward the park flashing gang signs and taunting his classmate. When the dispute escalated, Dalmacy threw the first punch—but just moments later, Redding allegedly pulled a gun and fired a single fatal shot. The victim was struck in the head and died despite being rushed to the hospital.
After the shooting, the suspect reportedly walked back to school carrying the gun in his backpack. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office confronted Redding in the cafeteria and took him into custody. He is now being charged as an adult for manslaughter and illegal firearm possession.
Court documents painted a troubling backdrop: Redding had nearly 40 disciplinary reports at school, many tied to fights. He also allegedly sent a text message months earlier saying he wanted to bring a gun to a fight. Prior to this shooting, he was also out on bond for grand theft of a motor vehicle.
Sheriff John Mina expressed his frustration clearly: “I’m really angry that something as small as bumping into someone in the halls of a high school, something that we’ve all done, has now turned into a deadly shooting of a 16-year-old.”
At his first hearing, Redding appeared stoic, even briefly smiling when family members shouted support. He remains jailed without bond while the legal process unfolds. The 16-year-old victim, Dalmacy, had only recently joined the school district last year, according to officials.
This horrific incident is a stark reminder of how quickly anger, escalation and access to a weapon can derail teenage lives and devastate families.
