Atlanta Public Schools officials, in a meeting with Grady High parents, acknowledged the district’s security policy had some gaps that were exploited Wednesday morning by a senior who allegedly sneaked a gun onto campus, accidentally shooting herself in the thigh.
“The system we have in place did not prevent yesterday,” David White, executive director for APS’s East region, said during Thursday’s meeting at Grady, excerpts of which were posted on the district’s official Twitter account.
Morgan Tukes, 17, is charged with four criminal counts — including one felony — for the shooting incident and spent a second night in jail Thursday after Atlanta police obtained an additional warrant against her for an earlier alleged hit-and-run violation.
Tukes was able to circumvent the school’s metal detectors, officials confirmed, entering through a gymnasium door opened by two students. That she arrived 45 minutes after classes began may have made it easier for Tukes to allegedly bring a pink .380 caliber handgun onto school grounds.
“That is one of the areas where we recognize we have a gap and we have to address that gap,” said APS director of safety and security Marquenta Sands, noting that metal detector usage will be extended.
Grady’s open campus provides particular challenges, said Sands: “The fact that students can move back and forth to cars is an issue we must address.”
The school’s principal, Vincent Murray, said in response to questions from parents that Tukes had not exhibited unstable behavior and does not appear to be affiliated with a gang.
Grady’s faculty and staff were re-trained two weeks ago on how to search for contraband, Murray said. And, in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting, a new hotline for students will be set up to give them better access to reporting, APS associate superintendent Steve Smith told parents.
“Our communities deserve safe schools and what happened yesterday is simply unacceptable,” Smith said.
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