A teenager opened fire at a high school in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday, killing at least four people and injuring nine others, police say. The incident is believed to be the deadliest school shooting in the state’s history, according to the New York Times.
Authorities say the shooting began around 9:30 a.m. at Apalachee High School, a rural school with around 1,900 students about an hour outside Atlanta. Students were evacuated to the school’s football stadium, with some telling news outlets they first thought there was a drill before realizing there was an active shooter in the school.
According to law enforcement, the suspect is in custody and it is unclear whether the teen is affiliated with the school. At a news conference, Barrow County sheriff Jud Smith called the situation fluid and the shooting an “evil thing.” “This is going to take multiple days to get answers,” Smith said during a news conference shortly after 1 p.m.
Elected officials quickly shared statements of support. “I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state,” Governor Brian Kemp said in a statement. “We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.”
In a statement, President Biden said he’d been briefed on the shooting and the White House was coordinating with local, state, and federal partners to assist on the ground. He also called for common-sense gun-safety measures, including an assault weapons ban and universal background checks.
“What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart,” said Biden. “Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”
