A mass shooting at Apalachee High School in north-central Georgia on Wednesday left four people dead and nine injured, authorities said.
Students and teachers at Apalachee High School, located about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta, evacuated the building and moved to the school's football field, where many students gathered in a prayer circle.
The Apalachee High School football team lost its home opener 49-7 to Cherokee Bluff on Aug. 27. The football team is scheduled to return to the field for its fourth game of the year against Monroe Area, but the status of that game is unknown.
Several of the school's football rivals and even a local college expressed support and prayers via social media for the Winder, Georgia, high school following Wednesday's shooting.
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Apalachee is off to an 0-3 start to the season in its second year under head coach Mike Hannock. The team was winless in Hannock’s first season in 2023 and in 2022. The team’s last win came in November 2021, a 34-28 victory over Jackson County in the season finale.
On Wednesday, shortly before 10:30 a.m., a shooting occurred at the school. The suspected shooter is in custody and is believed to be a 14-year-old boy. It is unclear if the suspect is a student at the school.
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Law enforcement officers investigate a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 4, 2024. (Reuters/Elijah Nouvelage)
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith declined to provide details about the suspect or the victims during a brief news conference.
“We ask for your patience… Please allow us to get the facts we need to make sure we do this correctly,” Smith told reporters. “It will take us several days to get answers about what happened and why it happened.”
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Students are evacuated to the football stadium after the school campus was placed on lockdown at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (WSB via AP)
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters he has devoted every possible resource to help.
“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.
“We will continue to work with local, state and federal partners as we gather information and respond to this situation.”
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