A 14-year-old student fatally shot 4 people during a rampage at a Georgia high school, officials report.

 Updated 8:03 AM GMT+5:30, September 5, 2024

 WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A 14-year-old student opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday, killing four people and sending students scrambling for safety as police and parents rushed to the scene.

The victims included two students and two teachers: 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey at a late-night news conference.

Nine other individuals, including eight students and one teacher, were hospitalized with injuries, but all are expected to survive, reported Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.

During the chaos, junior Layla Ferrell described how the words "hard lockdown" appeared on the screen in her health class, prompting her and her classmates to barricade the door with desks and chairs.

Sophomore Kaylee Abner, in geometry class at the time, heard gunshots and took cover behind her teacher’s desk. Her teacher then used the desk to block the classroom door. Abner and a classmate prayed together while they waited for police to arrive.