A Parents’ Nightmare Continues
By
Sherri Blevins
Seventeen-year-old Anthony Raymond Jack Scott’s parents’ nightmare continues as they struggle with the question of exactly how their son died. Scott was shot in the face on July 3, 2019, at the 19000 block of Highway 35. The Scottsboro teen was at the residence with two other teens, when allegedly, one teen, Jacob Taylor Isbell, shot him in the face. Scott died two days later on Friday, July 5, 2019, from the injuries he sustained.
According
to earlier news reports, Scott and the other teens were at the residence
playing with guns allegedly obtained from recent car burglaries. At first, there was confusion over whether or
not Scott was involved in the alleged crimes, but later police reported that
Scott was not a suspect in those crimes.
The
teens transported the injured Scott by car to Highlands Medical Center in
Jackson County. Hospital crews then flew the teen to Erlanger Hospital in
Chattanooga, Tennessee where he died. According to initial reports, the
shooting was an accident that happened while the group was playing with the
guns. Since that time, Scott’s parents,
Pamela and Elton Mitchem have questioned that version of the story.
In
a report by McKinley Strother of WAFF Channel 48 television, Scott’s parents
discussed the details that didn’t seem to fit the original account of the
story. Pamela Mitchem, Scott’s mother,
reported that police told her a teen shot her son from across the room. However, his trauma report says he was shot at
zero range. She stated, “What are the
chances that you shoot someone from across the room so accurately that they
don’t have any visual marks other than a small burn mark on their lip?” Mitchem
went on to say that her son arrived at the hospital with no phone, no
identification, and no shoes. She
stated, “Honestly, I feel like my son was executed. I think they planned it. They had every intention of going to get
Anthony and killing him.”
WAFF
requested an interview with Scottsboro Police Chief Ralph Dawe, but the request
was denied. Dawe said he could not give
more details into where Scott’s cell phone and wallet may be located, whether
he was shot at zero range or was murdered. He said it’s not department policy to get into
the specifics of an open investigation.
According
to the news report, Mitchem passionately stated, “I will not stop until he gets
justice. I will not! I don’t care if it takes the rest of my life
to fight with the city of Scottsboro; I will not stop.”
As
Scott’s parents’ nightmare continues, police continue to investigation.
