1 of 2 | A police officer talks with a woman near the scene of a reported shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Wednesday. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE
Sept. 4 (UPI) — At least four people are dead and about 30 others injured after reports of shots fired at a Georgia high school, according to sources who say the gunman possibly is a 14-year-old boy.
One person was reportedly in custody, authorities said, as students currently are being reunited with their families. At least nine individuals were reportedly hospitalized.
Law enforcement sources tell CNN the alleged shooter who opened fire inside Apalachee High school is believed to be a 14-year-old boy.
Officials say the high school received a phone call Wednesday morning warning that shootings would occur at five schools and indicated that Apalachee would be first. But it is not yet known who placed the call, officials said.
The day’s shooting was called “an evil thing” by Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith during an early afternoon press conference. A separate 4 p.m. EDT media update is planned.
“We’re in the process of reunifying students with their parents,” Smith said. The police official said the situation is “fluid” and the investigation is “very active” and ever-developing, he added.
The investigation “is going to take multiple days for us to get answers,” the sheriff said as he asked for patience from the public and news media. “Please let us get the facts that we need to make sure we get this right.”
The Wednesday morning shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, located in Barrow County roughly 50 miles east of the state’s capital in Atlanta, saw multiple of law enforcement agencies respond before 10:30 a.m. local time.
Last year in 2023 there was a record-high of 83 reported U.S. school shootings. As of July, there have been 35 school shooting incidents in the U.S. so far this year, according to Statista.
In a statement, the White House says the administration is “closely coordinating” with all local, state and federal officials.
What what should have been “a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Ga.,” it read, “has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.”
“After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say ‘enough is enough’ and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation,” according to the statement on behalf of President Joe Biden, who called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers,” the statement continued.
The Georgia high school was under lockdown until a little before 11:30 a.m., when the site was cleared and students released to families.
At a separate news conference on Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said he was “devastated for the families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy.”
“We are still gathering information, but the FBI and ATF are on the scene working with state, local and federal partners,” Garland stated. “The Justice Department stands ready to provide any resources or support that the Winder community needs in the days ahead.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at a campaign rally in New Hampshire, called the shooting a “senseless tragedy” as she expressed her sorrow and called for action to combat U.S. gun violence.
“It’s just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive,” the Democratic presidential nominee stated.
“We’ve got to stop it,” she said. “It does not have to be this way,” she reiterated.
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to FOX 5 News in Atlanta that earlier Wednesday morning at about 11:30 a.m. there had been an active-shooter situation and multiple other law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI, had taken part in the response.
Earlier, at least two people were seen being put into helicopters to be flown for medical treatment. Meanwhile, Grady Memorial Hospital confirmed at 12:20 p.m. that it had received one gunshot victim from the school. No other information was released.
“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,” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said on X a little before noon.
The high school as of March had an enrollment of slightly more than 1,900 students, according to the Georgia Department of Education.
NewsChopper 2 camera footage showed large crowds of students filtering into the school stadium during the lockdown and scores of emergency vehicles on school property.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.