Student charged in shooting at Atlanta’s Benjamin E. Mays High School

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Benjamin E. Mays High School

Credit: Benjamin E. Mays High School

A student at Benjamin E. Mays High School has been charged in the shooting at the school last week that injured four students.

Atlanta Public Schools Police Chief Ronald Applin said Atlanta Police have issued warrants for the student’s arrest. The student is not yet in custody, Applin told Rough Draft on Monday. The student is a juvenile and his name is not being released. 

Applin said the student faces four charges of aggravated assault, one charge of possession of a firearm by a minor and one charge of possession of a firearm on school grounds.

“He is not in custody at this time, but that’s all I can share. He’s the only one being charged so far,” Applin said in an interview.

Applin said the suspect was identified in the investigation with Atlanta Police in part by interviewing students who were at the scene. Atlanta Police is the lead agency in the investigation. 

Applin said school police officers on the scene applied tourniquets to two students who had been shot “which we think was what could have saved their lives.” 

The four students who were shot were all male, three are 17 years old and one was 18 years old. They are all recovering well, Applin said.

The news of the warrants issued for the student’s arrest was made this morning during Atlanta Public Schools’ “State of the District.” 

APS police officers responded to a fight in the school parking lot on Feb. 14 at about 4 p.m., shortly after school was dismissed. They were on the scene when shots broke out and immediately called for backup from Atlanta Police and Atlanta Fire and Rescue.

Based on information from APS officers, Atlanta Police stopped a vehicle on Baker Road. Three people in the vehicle — a 35-year-old woman, her 17-year-old daughter and another male, age unknown — were detained and questioned.

The male in the car is the suspect being charged in the shooting, Applin told Rough Draft. The investigation is ongoing.

Atlanta Police declined to discuss a motive in the shooting at last week’s press conference.

Last May, 16-year-old Bre’Asia Powell was killed outside Mays High School during a late-night unauthorized gathering at the school. Atlanta Police arrested two teen suspects a month later.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.