A teenage suspect is in custody after a shooting at Warner Robins High School in Georgia on Wednesday that left one student wounded. The incident occurred just one week into the new school year.
The injured student was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Police confirmed the suspect, identified as a ninth-grader, fled the scene after the shooting but was apprehended about a half-mile from the school approximately one hour later.
According to Sheriff Matt Moulton, the shooting took place around 2:15 p.m. inside a school bathroom. The confrontation began as a verbal altercation between two ninth-grade students and escalated into a physical fight, at which point a firearm was discharged. A school resource officer was present, applied tourniquets to the injured student's wounds, and remained until emergency medical services arrived.
Moulton stated that the school's threat protocol and law enforcement training were followed, which he believes minimized the potential for a worse outcome. He declined to answer questions regarding the presence of metal detectors, citing the ongoing investigation.
Houston County Schools Superintendent Richard Rogers announced that the school would be closed for students on Thursday and Friday. Staff will have Thursday off, with crisis counselors scheduled to be available for staff on Friday and for students on Monday. "We're going to focus on healing," Rogers said.
Warner Robins is located approximately 102 miles southeast of Atlanta.