Georgia High School Shooting Leaves 4 Dead and 9 Hurt, Suspect in Custody

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed four casualties, nine hospitalized and one person is in custody after a mass shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday morning.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said during a press conference this afternoon the shooting was first reported at 9:30 a.m.
He called the shooting an “evil thing” and said the investigation is “active and ever-developing.”
The suspect is alive, according to the GBI.
“Reports that the suspect has been ‘neutralized’ are inaccurate,” the agency said.
He said law enforcement and school officials are reuniting students with their parents. He would not say how many people have died but he plans to hold another press conference later this afternoon.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation by Homeland Security Advisor, Liz Sherwood-Randall. He later released a statement on the incident.
“Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed,” Biden said. “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. 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.”
The administration said it is coordinating with federal, state and local officials.
Biden also called for more legislation surrounding gun violence.
“Ending this gun violence epidemic is personal to me. It’s why I signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the most meaningful gun safety bill in decades – and have announced dozens of gun safety executive actions. I also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. We’ve made significant progress, but this crisis requires even more,” Biden said.
Vice President Kamala Harris was also briefed on the incident. She made a statement on the situation during her campaign event in New Hampshire.
“Our hearts are with all of the students, the teachers and their families of course and we are grateful for the first responders that were on the scene, but this is a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies,” Harris said.
She also called for an end to gun violence.
“We got to stop it and we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all,” Harris said.
The high School in Winder in Barrow County went on “hard lockdown” during the shooting. All other schools in the county were placed on lockdown as a “precautionary measure.”
A large police presence and at least five ambulances were observed at the school. Emergency responders were seen treating multiple individuals. One person was loaded into a helicopter to be taken to a hospital.
The lockdown was later lifted and parents were allowed to pick up their children.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said his office is working with local, state and federal partners on X to help respond to the incident.
“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,” Kemp said.
The FBI division in Atlanta said it was aware of the incident on X.
“Our agents are on scene coordinating with and supporting local law enforcement,” FBI Atlanta said.
Students were evacuated to the school’s football stadium. Students were seen scattered throughout the field and some had formed a circle to pray.
The school previously sent a message to parents stating, “Apalachee High School is currently in a hard lockdown after reports of gunfire. Law enforcement is here. Please do not attempt to come to the school at this time while officers work to secure the area.”
Newsweek reached out to the Winder Police Department and Barrow County School System for more information.
The high school is located on Haymon Morris Road. There are around 1,900 students at the school in grades 9 through 12. It is one of two high schools in the Barrow County School District. It is home of the Winder-Barrow “Bulldogs.”
Winder is located about an hour from Atlanta. The town has a population of 18,338. It is the largest city in Barrow County.
Barrow county is the 29th largest county out of 159 counties total in the state. It has a population of 83,505.
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