Local school districts in Atlanta say they are preparing for the days ahead with heightened security after a deadly shooting at a Georgia high school 45 miles outside of Atlanta left four dead and nine injured Tuesday morning.
A 14-year-old student has been identified as the shooter at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. The identity of the slain victims, two teachers and two students, has yet to be released. The shooter has since been apprehended and charged with murder.
All Barrow County Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday, the district confirmed.
The incident marks the 385th recorded mass shooting nationwide this year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
“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,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp wrote in a tweet on X.
President Joe Biden has also released a statement, noting that his administration will be working closely with officials on the federal, state, and local level to coordinate efforts.
“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 wrote. “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.”
DeKalb County School District Superintendent Devon Horton said the district is extending its deepest condolences to the Barrow community in light of the tragedy.
In addition, “Considering the tragic events at Apalachee High School, DCSD Police Chief Tracey Whaley has ordered his command staff and officers to be in a heightened state of alert,” the statement reads. “This precautionary measure is not related to any known threats in our area.”
DeKalb’s solidarity is mirrored by other metro school districts. Cobb County told Capital B Atlanta that days like Tuesday are chilling reminders of the importance of safety training.
“School campuses should be a place where teachers and students can teach and learn without fear for their safety, and in Cobb, we invest heavily to protect our students,” a district spokesperson said. “With extensive safety measures proactively available in all of our schools, our staff trains regularly, and we are incredibly thankful for public safety staff in and outside of Cobb, who run towards danger.”
Fulton County Schools sent a statement to community stakeholders noting that the district is actively working with local officials to ensure its own safety measures are in place with increased awareness. The district also encouraged families to talk with their students about feelings they may have as a result of today’s events.
“Whenever something as shocking and tragic as this happens, it impacts us all,” the statement read. “Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”
Lisa Morgan, Georgia Association of Educators president, said rebuilding community trust and ensuring that resources are readily available to meet the needs of students, educators, and families as they grieve has to be top priority for community healing.
“All students deserve safe and welcoming learning environments free from gun violence,” Morgan said. “Schools should be the safest places in any community. But just as the new school year gets underway, lives have been shattered by yet another tragic mass shooting.”
“We grieve for the students, educators, and families in the Winder community,” she said. “We cannot — and will not — normalize mass shootings.”
