4 Dead, More Injured in Shooting at Georgia High School
Georgia police responded on Wednesday to an active shooter at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations confirmed that four in total are dead and nine more were transported to the hospital for injuries. A suspect is alive and in custody.
Helicopters could be seen transporting gunshot victims from the Winder school, which is approximately 45 minutes northeast from Atlanta. The number of casualties was not immediately available, but MSNBC was first to report, citing sources on the ground, that at least two victims were killed and four had been wounded. CNN later reported that number to be four, adding that sources were indicating as many as 30 could be injured.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations confirmed on Wednesday afternoon the number of casualties and also denied reports that the suspect had been “neutralized.”
Update: Four dead. An additional nine taken to various hospitals with injuries. Suspect in custody and alive. Reports that the suspect has been ‘neutralized’ are inaccurate.
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 4, 2024
The sheriff’s office said police were called to respond to an active shooter at approximately 10:23 in the morning. The school was put into a hard lockdown and students were later being dismissed as dozens of police officers were pictured at the scene after the shooting. Approximately 1900 students attend Apalachee High School and they returned to classes only days ago.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) released a statement saying he was directing state resources to the Winder school.
“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,” he wrote. “We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.”
We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation. (2/2)
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 4, 2024
President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation in the morning and released a statement in the afternoon, calling again for Congress to act and pass further gun control measures.
“We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers,” Biden wrote. “These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.”
This is a breaking story and it will be updated.
Watch above via MSNBC.
