New shooting at a school in the United States: at least two people reported dead in Georgia

A suspect has been arrested after authorities received a report of a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, according to an official statement from the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office. The situation has resulted in victims, although specific details about the number of affected individuals or their condition have not been disclosed at this time.

The state of emergency was declared at 10:23 am local time after the first reports of shots fired.

A local hospital has started receiving the wounded, as confirmed by a hospital source to CNN. The Georgia State Patrol had previously reported responding to an active situation at the school, which prompted a rapid mobilization of emergency resources.

Images taken at the scene showed at least five ambulances and a significant presence of law enforcement on campus. A medical helicopter evacuating a patient was also seen. On the nearby football field, groups of people, including students, appeared to be gathered in prayer.

Special FBI agents have also arrived at the scene to collaborate with local authorities, as reported by an office spokesperson.

The students are being evacuated from the school

Apalachee High School, part of the Barrow County School System, confirmed to CNN that students have been given permission to leave campus, and parents have been notified to pick them up. The school district has ensured that transportation will be provided for those students who need it.

The governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, has ordered the deployment of all available state resources to assist in the emergency. Kemp also asked "all Georgia residents to join my family in prayer for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and throughout the state."

Winder, a community located approximately an hour from Atlanta, has a population of about 18,338 residents, according to the 2020 census. The Barrow County School System, which is the 24th largest school district in Georgia, serves around 15,340 students, of which 1,932 are enrolled at Apalachee High School.