“It’s powerful to have them want to one, be heard, two, to mend that relationship, and three, to make this into something positive where it could have just been a negative situation that stayed that way and hurt our community,” said Hill Principal Cherita Sears.

The three students, alongside four parents and a grandparent, the police officer, interim Police Chief William Smith, Bhagat and Sears all met in the school’s library on Tuesday.

The group talked about what happened, how it affected them and what they thought needed to happen in order to move forward, Sears said. Part of that, she added, is the public apology.

“It was a step forward, and it was a step toward healing for our students,” Sears said. “The students felt like he should apologize publicly.”

Said Bhagat: “Everyone in the circle left feeling like we made progress.”

Richmond police, asked Wednesday about the meeting, did not provide comment by Thursday afternoon. It remains unclear how and when the public apology will be made and whether the officer’s name will be revealed.