One teenager is dead and another was injured after a shooting outside an Atlanta high school early Sunday morning, police said.
There are no suspects in custody at this time, but police said the incident involved multiple high school-aged students.
Officers with the Atlanta Police Department responded to a report of multiple people shot at Benjamin E. Mays High School at around 2:27 a.m. Two victims, a 16-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, were found on scene and taken to local hospitals.
The girl was pronounced dead while the boy is in stable condition, according to police.
The victims, who were both rising juniors, have not been identified. It’s not clear if the teenagers attended Benjamin E. Mays High School.
In a news briefing Sunday afternoon, Mayor Andre Dickens said the deceased victim was “full of life.”
“My heart goes out to both families, and definitely to the family of the decedent,” he said. “This young lady was full of life, and was actually expected to be working for the city of Atlanta starting on Tuesday in our summer youth employment program.”
Benjamin E. Mays High School is Dickens’ alma mater.
In a statement, Atlanta Public Schools said the gathering at the end of the high school’s exiting driveway was unauthorized. There were other children at the school from different districts and counties, according to Dickens.
“I’m asking parents across the metro area, I’m asking youth across the metro area to please consider your safety, to please make sure your parents know where you are. And parents, know where your children are,” Dickens said. “And young people looking to gather after midnight, and finding places to go, we want you to be safe and make conscious, quality decisions about where you go.”
Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Herring called the shooting, which happened just days after the close of the school year, “tragic.”
“A crisis team will be on campus this coming Tuesday to help those who might need additional support,” Herring said. “Our condolences go out to our families that have been impacted.”
The Atlanta Police Department is continuing to investigate the shooting and is offering a reward of $10,000 for information.
