WINDER, Georgia – The small town of Winder, Georgia was rocked by tragedy on Wednesday as a shooting at Apalachee High School left four people dead and at least nine injured. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that one suspect was in custody and that the situation was under control, but the impact of this senseless act of violence will be felt for a long time.
The shooting occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m. when students were in the middle of their morning classes. As soon as the gunshots rang out, chaos ensued as students and teachers scrambled for shelter. Some sought refuge in the football stadium while others were led out of the school by officers. Parents, who were frantically trying to find out if their children were safe, raced to the school in a state of panic.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith addressed the media in a brief news conference outside the school, calling the incident “an evil thing.” He declined to give any further details about the victims or those injured in the shooting.
One student, Jacob King, a sophomore football player, described the terrifying moment when he heard the gunshots. He had just dozed off in his world history class after a morning practice when he heard about 10 gunshots. At first, he couldn’t believe it was real until he heard an officer yelling at someone to put down their gun. When he and his classmates were finally led out, he saw officers shielding an injured student.
Ashley Enoh, a student’s sister, received a text from her brother who is a senior at Apalachee High School. The text simply said, “Just so you know, I love you.” When she asked what was going on, her brother informed her that there was a shooter at the school. Enoh’s younger sister, who is a junior at the school, confirmed the news and said that the school was on lockdown.
Details about the incident were scarce as authorities were still gathering information. The call came in shortly before 10:30 a.m., and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies and Fire/EMS personnel were dispatched to the high school. The sheriff’s office released a statement saying that there were casualties, but the number and their conditions were not available at the time.
Helicopter footage from WSB-TV showed a heavy presence of law enforcement and emergency vehicles surrounding the school in Barrow County, which is about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta.
Erin Clark, a mother of a senior at the high school, received a text from her son Ethan, who was inside the school during the shooting. She immediately left her job at the Amazon warehouse and rushed to the school. The two exchanged “I love you” texts, and Clark said she prayed for her son’s safety as she drove to the high school. With the main road blocked, Clark parked her car and ran with other parents to the school. They were then directed to the football field where they waited for updates. Amidst the chaos, Clark found her son sitting on the bleachers.
Clark’s son was in the middle of writing an essay when he first heard the gunshots. He quickly worked with his classmates to barricade the door and hide. “I’m so proud of him for doing that,” Clark said. “He was so brave.”
The shooting has left the community in shock and fear. Students had just started the school year a little over a month ago, and now parents are worried about their safety. “It makes me scared to send him back,” Clark said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Traffic to the school was backed up for more than a mile as parents tried to reach their children. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp released a statement, saying, “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 also assured that they will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as they gather more information and respond to the situation.
The FBI’s Atlanta office also released a statement, saying, “FBI Atlanta is aware of the current situation at Apalachee High School in Barrow County. Our agents are on the scene coordinating with and supporting local law enforcement.”
The White House also responded to the shooting, saying that President Joe Biden has been briefed
