A gunman opened fire at a US high school in the state of Georgia, near Atlanta. At least four people died and about thirty were injured.
New school drama in the United States. A shooting in a high school in the state of Georgia left at least four dead and around thirty injured, according to a provisional report, reported the American media on Wednesday, September 4. A suspect was arrested by the police. The shooter is believed to be a 14-year-old teenager, a police source revealed to CNN.
The incident occurred just five weeks after the state’s school year began. The gunman opened fire at Apalachee High School in the town of Winder, 43 miles northeast of Atlanta. The school was initially placed on lockdown, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. “My teacher opened the door to see what was going on. Then another teacher ran in and told her to close the door because there was a shooter,” 17-year-old student Sergio Caldera said, according to ABC News. Taking refuge at the back of the classroom, he and his classmates heard screams coming from outside.
A “terrible tragedy”
Authorities said local, state and federal police were on the scene. Students were evacuated from the school and, according to aerial images released by media outlets, gathered at the site of a sports field. Emergency services also responded to treat injured students. AFP quoted the report as saying: The Parisianthere are currently around thirty of them. Nine of them are on their way to hospital, CNN reports, including several by helicopter.
US President Joe Biden is being kept informed of the incident, the White House assured. During a press conference, the Minister of Justice deplored a “terrible tragedy” without specifying the toll.