A shooting at an elementary school in Waynesboro ended with one staff member injured and the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
Law enforcement told reporters on Wednesday that at 9:12 a.m., the Waynesboro Police Department was notified of a suspicious person on the grounds of Westwood Hills Elementary School and responded to the scene approximately three minutes later. Before law enforcement arrived, the suspect, 19-year-old Anthony I. Ignatiadis-Isabelle, of Waynesboro, forced entry to the school. Police found him, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, in the school library, where they said no students had been present.
DAVID SHAW: One adult staff member at the school did suffer a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The staff member has since been treated and released.
In response to questions, Waynesboro Police Chief David Shaw said he didn't have information to share about whether there was any relationship between the shooter and the victim, whether the shooter was previously known to law enforcement, what type of weapon he used, or the victim's position at the school. Ignatiadis-Isabelle doesn't appear to have a criminal record in Virginia, based on a search of the state court record database.
As to how the suspect got into the school –
SHAW: The only part that I'll share right now is that this was a forced entry situation into the school.
Waynesboro Public Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Cassell said the suspect had not attended Waynesboro High School. He told reporters that the elementary school had already conducted two lockdown drills so far this school year, which began August 6.
JEFFREY CASSELL: Today is – excuse me. If you don't get emotional today, you never will. Today is the day every school system hopes they never have to deal with. I have to praise the response of our staff and the Waynesboro Police Department, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, the Virginia State Police, and our local, state, and federal partners. Our safety and security protocols and procedures worked. Staff notified law enforcement immediately, and our school executed lockdown procedures.
One woman attending the press conference questioned why parents weren't notified until nearly an hour after the shooting.
CASSELL: We went to an immediate lockdown, had a massive response of police, fire, and rescue at the site. Everyone was in lockdown and everyone was safe. We made an announcement at some point when we felt it was appropriate to do so, and that we knew the reunification center was open for parents to go there. Coming to the school during a lockdown was pointless because you weren't allowed on school campus. It takes time to coordinate all of those things and make an announcement that has factual information.
All students and other school faculty and staff were safely evacuated by 10:48 a.m. according to a law enforcement press release. Reunification took place at a church nearby, where some children played with soccer balls and on playground equipment. Students and parents were generally calm, with some wiping away tears or talking through their experience.
STUDENT: There was a shooter with a real gun.
One neighbor, who said she previously served in the military and lived just a block away, came to the church to help hand out water bottles and snacks as soon as she heard what was happening.
A mother, who declined to give her name, was relieved to be united with her fourth grader.
MOTHER: There was a shooting today, and I finally got my son, so now I feel like I can breathe again. So we're going to be heading home.
Westwood Hills Elementary School has canceled classes for Thursday. Additional law enforcement officers will be present at the city's public schools for the rest of the week. Cassell said the district would contact parents with resources for affected families. The mental health services nonprofit ARROW Project issued a statement that they were also available to help those who have been impacted.
