FRANKLIN COUNTY, N.C. — Three suspects arrested in the shooting death of a popular Bunn High School student were in court again Tuesday.

Investigators say Charles Mayo, Elliot Hazelwood, and Antoine Perry fired shots outside a party last month, killing Bunn High School student-athlete Marc Philippeaux.

The three suspects appeared in court Tuesday amid heightened security. At an earlier court hearing, there was security concerns involving supporters of the three men. At Tuesday's hearing, people were screened through metal detectors and more law enforcement officers were on hand.

During the hearing, Yolande Arnord, Philippeaux's mother, tried to talk to the men accused of killing her son. She told them that she was Marc's mother.

"I thought they knew it was me, but they didn't say anything to me," Anord said.

Anord also tried to talk to the supporters of the three suspects.

"I told them they could've said 'hi' to me, you know, because believe me, from the bottom of my heart, I don't have nothing against them," she said.

A member of that group did reach out to Anord, offering condolences for her loss. The district attorney in the case asked for a continuance. Both sides in the case will be back in court on Feb. 22.