A shooter believed to be a student shot and killed another student at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on September 1, 2021. The campus is now secure.
“One student is injured, all other students are safe,” the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department wrote on Facebook. They later revealed that the injured student had died.
In a press conference, authorities said:
“The student killed today in the shooting at Mt Tabor High School is William Chavis Raynard Miller, Jr.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today and in the difficult days to come,” the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department wrote. Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough, Jr. said, “It is a sad day but we will get through this together. This family needs your prayers. Our students need your prayers. Our community needs your prayers.”
WSPD Chief Catrina Thompson also confirmed the death of one student in the shooting at Mount Tabor High School. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the student’s family, the Mount Tabor High School family, and the Winston Salem/Forsyth County family,” she said.
Kimbrough stressed, “Give us a chance to give you the facts. There are many rumors spreading. We are committed to being transparent and will share confirmed information as appropriate. The search continues for the shooter, who is believed to be a student.
WSPD Chief Catrina Thompson said: “Thank you to all of our partner law enforcement agencies and first responders for their work today.”
A police dispatcher said on the live scanner that authorities received a report from a parent that a video was posted to Snapchat before the shooting. Listen to live scanner audio here. At one point, they spoke about having guards on children who were sheltering in place. Authorities said the suspect was wearing a black hoodie and “all black.” He took off on foot.
“The suspect was in the cafeteria, so he left on the foot from that location,” a person said on the dispatch audio. A person “has been shot,” the dispatcher said. An officer then said the suspect was “running in the parking lot.” The injured person was a male. The dispatcher said “something was dropped in the suspect by the suspect.” However, another officer said that no one heard a shooting in the cafeteria. The victim was shot in a classroom, they said.
You can listen to the initial scanner dispatch reports below, courtesy of Broadcastify.
Winston-Salem police wrote on Twitter, “Mount Tabor High School is on lockdown. There has been a shooting on school property. We and the WSPD have secured the campus and are doing everything possible to keep students safe. We are actively investigating what happened and will share confirmed information when available.”
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department wrote on Facebook, “Mount Tabor High School is on lockdown. There has been a shooting on school property. We and the WSPD have secured the campus and are doing everything possible to keep students safe. We are actively investigating what happened and will share confirmed information as appropriate.”
Mount Tabor High School is on lockdown. There has been a shooting on school property. We and the WSPD have secured the campus and are doing everything possible to keep students safe. We are actively investigating what happened and will share confirmed information when available.
Information is preliminary, and it could change, as is common in fast-breaking active shooter situations. Local media reported a large law enforcement response to the scene. See live video here.
Here’s what you need to know:
Parents Were Asked Not to Respond to Mt. Tabor High School by Police
BREAKING: We do not have any details confirmed. Police and other first responders are on Petree Road, at Mount Tabor High School.
We have seen police, an ambulance, sheriff deputies and fire department. Parents are here, too. @WXII
“Parents, do not respond to Mt. Tabor High School. We will post pick up locations as soon as possible,” Winston-Salem police wrote on Twitter. The Sheriff’s Department wrote, “UPDATE: They are transporting all students to the Robinhood Family YMCA. Parents can report there to be reunited with their children. Reunification will take some time as students are being transported in stages.”
The Forsyth Sheriff then released this update.
UPDATE:
Here are some important details we want to share to help with your reporting today.
1. Parents should now report to the Harris Teeter and NOT the Robinhood YMCA to be reunited with their children.
2. The area around Mt. Tabor High School is a NO FLY ZONE do not fly your drones around this area.
3. The media staging area is the Whitaker Shopping Mall parking lot. 1955 N. Peace Haven in Winston-Salem.
4. Please follow WSPD, FCSO, and WSFCS social media for the latest updates. @gofcsonc @cityofwspolice
5. One student is inured, all other students are safe.
6. We are actively seeking the suspect. We have no confirmed information of any other shootings or injuries.
7. Further information will be shared on our social media.
Parents, do not respond to Mt. Tabor High School. We will post pick up locations as soon as possible.
The school had yet to post any information on its website or Twitter page. The active shooter reports broke out just before 1 p.m. on the east coast.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of people shot or anything about a suspect. ATF Charlotte wrote on Twitter, “ATF Special Agents responding to an incident at Mount Tabor High School in Winston Salem.”
Frantic Parents Weighed in on Social Media
Mount Tabor High School is on lockdown. There has been a shooting on school property. We and the WSPD have secured the campus and are doing everything possible to keep students safe. We are actively investigating what happened and will share confirmed information as appropriate.
Frantazia Hines told Journal Now that she was on the phone with her sister, who attends Mount Tabor, shortly after 12 p.m., when she heard “multiple gunshots” being fired.
Here are some of the comments from frantic parents on Facebook:
“Shooting at Mount Tabor high school. My kids are hiding out. There are ton of cops headed that way now.”
“There’s shooting going on at my Grandchildren’s School. Mount Tabor high school!!!”
“Check on y’all people. Shooting at Mount Tabor high school.”
“OMG!!! THERE WAS JUST A SHOOTING AT MOUNT TABOR HIGH!! STUDENT SHOT ANOTHER STUDENT!!! CHECK ON YOUR KIDS!! MINE JUST CALLED HE’S OK.” (Note: Authorities have not confirmed a suspect or motive.)
This post is being updated as more information is learned about the active shooter reports.
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