Four people, including two students, were killed and nine others were injured in a shooting Wednesday morning at Apalachee High School in Barrow County. The barrage of gunfire led some students to hide in closets as their friends and family members frantically tried to reach them. For many, as the day unfolded, the reality of what happened had yet to sink in.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Apalachee freshman Jayden Finch
Finch said he heard one of his friends had been killed in the shooting. He described how quickly his normal school day was shattered.
“It was mid-presentation and the board changed to say ‘Lockdown,’” Finch told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Immediately after, he heard shots, then shouting in the hallway.
His cousin, junior Zyrianna Finch, said she heard much of the same from her classroom. She described hearing a rapid series of shots, followed by shouting.
”Then my teacher told us to get in the closet, so we all got in the closet,” she said.
Jayden said he could see a body when his class was moved out to the football field. Both students said they were shocked that their school had experienced such violence.
”There was a threat to the school this morning, but there are so many empty threats, they didn’t take it seriously,” Jayden said.
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Apalachee senior Caden Moon
Moon was in the middle of class when he heard several gunshots, and students ran to a corner to hide. When Moon and his classmates were escorted out of the school, he said he saw a firearm and a body.
”Everything was fine. And then all the screens changed to lockdown, and then I heard about five gunshots outside my classroom,” he said.
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Apalachee junior Micah Hartsock
Hartsock said he tried to stay calm as he heard gunshots coming from the hallway.
”There’s a shooter and I heard gunshots,” Hartsock texted his dad as he hid behind a table in his classroom. “I was pretty close to saying that I care about you and I love you, so if I don’t make it out.”
Hartsock said he waited in his classroom for 10 minutes before officers escorted out the students out.
”If I had to, I’d fight and just try my best to get out of there,” Hartsock added.
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University of Georgia student Wesley Webb
Webb was attending class at UGA on Wednesday morning when he got a text from his girlfriend that caused him to panic. There was a school shooter at Apalachee High, where her little brother, Ryan, attended as a junior, she explained.
Without hesitation, Webb took a bus and then drove his car to Barrow County. After he arrived around 1:15 p.m., Webb walked to his girlfriend’s house, where her younger brother answered the door. They didn’t say much, but it didn’t matter.
”He was probably in shock, probably a lot of nerves going on. So I don’t blame him at all, but at least I do know that he is OK,” Webb said.
Webb said he was used to shootings in Atlanta, but said Barrow is “usually pretty quiet.”
”Prayers for the families, and for the students,” he added.
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Sadie Foust
Foust, an HR specialist at a senior living facility across the street from the high school, saw countless police vehicles rushing down the street before she heard from locals that several people had been shot. She said three students work at the senior living facility.
As students began to leave campus after the lockdown was lifted, Foust and other employees set up a refreshment stand. Many students and their families had to make long treks to their vehicles, some of which were parked more than a mile away from the school.
”We, of course, saw everything going on. These people need anything they can get, like the emergency personnel, the families, they’re going to be hot,” Foust said.
