The lockdown alert flashed on a screen in Stephen Kreyenbuhl's classroom at Apalachee High School as the gunfire started. Mr. Kreyenbuhl, a world history teacher, said that he heard at least 10 shots on Wednesday morning, as the deadliest episode of school violence in Georgia history unfolded around the corner from his room. The authorities identified the shooter as a 14-year-old student at the school.
Laniel Arteta, a freshman, recounted that he and other students huddled in the corner of their technology classroom, their hands over their heads, after the gunfire erupted. He heard screams, and the voice of his teacher urging the students to stay quiet. After more than an hour, when they were finally shepherded out, he saw scads of police officers and loose shoes everywhere.
Greg Mann, a parent at Apalachee High School, detailed the chaos as parents scrambled to reunite with their children. Many students fled to the football field, leaving their phones and keys behind in the school. Traffic snarled around the school made it difficult for parents trying to connect with their kids. It was a devastating scene.
Shelbey Diamond-Alexander, the chair of the Barrow County Democratic Party, described the situation as chaotic, stating that "It's a mess out here. People are just trying to get their children. It's devastating for our community." The emotional toll on families during and after the incident highlights the pain and fear stemming from such tragedies.
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