AJC.com > Breaking News > Archives > 2005 > March > 11 > Entry
Atlanta, DeKalb, Forsyth schools take precautions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Public School system has put four Buckhead schools under lockdown due to the manhunt under way for the suspect in the shooting at the Fulton County Courthouse: Jackson Elementary, Sutton Middle, Sara Smith Elementary and the Sara Smith kindergarten annex.
Additionally, all DeKalb County schools have been ordered to keep their exterior doors locked.
Under restricted lockdown, movement within the school continues as normal, but the doors are locked and manned by security personnel to restrict entry to the building. The decision on which schools to lock down was made based on the latest information APS has received from the Atlanta Police Department about the possible movement of the suspect, school officials said.
Fulton County schools are not in session today.
Atlanta had earlier put 36 schools under lockdown, including the four Buckhead schools. But shortly before 1 p.m. the district removed 32 schools from the lockdown list.
The Atlanta schools originally put under lockdown are under lockdown are:
Elementary Schools: Adamsville, Bethune, Blalock, Bolton Academy, Boyd, Brandon, Centennial Place, Garden Hills, Grove Park, Fain, Finch, Hill, Herndon, Jackson, Jones, Miles Oglethorpe, Peyton Forest, Rivers, Scott, Smith, Smith Kindergarten Annex, F.L. Stanton, Towns, Usher, White, Williams, Woodson, Carson Honors Preparatory.
Middle Schools: Harper/Archer, Kennedy, Sutton, Turner.
High Schools: Douglass, North Atlanta, Washington.
As a precaution, Clayton County school officials locked down the Brown Elementary School at 9771 Poston Road in Jonesboro.
“It is our understanding that [shooting suspect Brian Nichols] has relatives or that there is some family connection near the school and we just want to make sure our students are safe,” said school district spokesman Charles White.
Forsyth County officials put all schools in that county on lockdown at 12:35 p.m., Forsyth schools spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo said. Officials planned to release students at the regularly scheduled times Friday afternoon, she said.
Permalink | Categories: Courthouse shooting
Services »
