At least 4 killed, approximately 30 injured in school shooting, sources say

By John Miller, Nick Valencia, Shawn Nottingham, Dakin Andone and Isabel Rosales, CNN

Winder, Georgia (CNN) — At least four people are believed to have been killed and approximately 30 more injured in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, according to law enforcement sources in the state.

It’s unclear how many of the injuries are from gunshot wounds. The information is preliminary and is subject to change.

A suspect is in custody who is of student age, but it’s unclear whether they attend the school, according to the sources.

All schools in the Barrow County School System were placed on lockdown and police were sent out of an abundance of caution to all district high schools, according to the sources, but there are no reports of secondary incidents or scenes.

Some of the critically injured were removed by helicopter, and additional helicopters are on standby.

Follow live updates: Police respond to reported shooting at Georgia high school

At least five ambulances and a large active law enforcement presence were at the campus, according to video from outside the school. A least one medical helicopter could be seen airlifting a patient from the scene. Footage at the scene also showed people gathering on a football field near the school as students appeared to pray.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, in a brief news conference at the scene, would not confirm the number of casualties, saying only there were “multiple injuries.” Smith asked for patience, saying the investigation remains “fluid.” He hopes to provide another update around 4 p.m. ET, he said.

Authorities received a call about an active shooter around 9:30 a.m., Smith said.

The sheriff’s office previously said one suspect was in custody after authorities received a report of an active shooting at the school.

Grady Health System – a Level 1 trauma center in Atlanta, about an hour from Winder – received one gunshot wound victim from the incident who was transported by helicopter, a hospital spokesperson told CNN.

Special agents from the FBI have responded to assist local law enforcement, a bureau spokesperson said.

Apalachee High School belongs to the Barrow County School System, which told CNN students have been cleared to leave and parents have been notified to pick them up. Transportation will be provided to students who need it, the district said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has directed all available state resources to assist at the scene, he said in a statement on social media. The governor urged “all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state.”

Winder had a population of about 18,338 as of the 2020 census, according to the US Census Bureau. The Barrow County School System is the 24th largest school district in the state, per the district’s website. It serves about 15,340 students, 1,932 of whom are enrolled at Apalachee High School.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Josh Campbell and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.

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