Student dead after shooting at North Carolina high school; suspect apprehended after hourslong search
Updated: 7:01 PM EDT Sep 1, 2021
SIX HOURS, A VERY UP-AND-DOWN Y.DA WE’RE GNGOI TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU WHILE WE CHECK THIS OUT. TALITHA: THANK YOU, THERE ARE SO MUCH TO UNPACK WITH ALL OF THIS, THE SCHOOL WHERE ALL OF TSHI UNFOLDED, PARENTS ARE FRUSTRATED, ANXIOUS AND ALSO NERVOUS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY FALL IN LINE WITH ALL OF THIS, THEN YOU HAVE THE STUDENTS OF COURSE WHO ARE I’M SURE TRAUMATIZED BY ALL OF THIS AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE AS WL,EL BEING SO HEAVY AND SUCH AN EMOTIONAL DAY ACROSS THE BOARD AS WELL. KIMBERLY: THEY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON AT 4:30, THE WINSTON CAN DUST WINSTON-SALEM FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS, THE POLICE TO BARB AND ANDY FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF AND WE WILL GET DETAILS NOW FROM RACHEL ELLIS. RACHEL GOOD EVENING, WE JUST LEARNED MOMENTS AGO THAT THAT SUSPECT IS NOW IN CUSTODY AND GOING -- I’M GOING TO READ A TWEET THAT THE ORSAY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SHARED, THE SUSPECT FROMHE T SHOOTING WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT, THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND WE WILL RELEASE MORE INFORMATION AS APPROPRIATE. OUR CONTINUED PRAYERS ARE FOR FAMILY AND LOVED OSNE OF WILAMLI REYNARD MILLER JUNIOR ARE IN THEIR THOUGHTS NOW. MORE INFORMATION WILL BE RELEASED LATER ON ABOUT THAT SPSUECT, BUT LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FOCUS, THE FOCAL POINT, WE ARE STILL ON THE VICTIM AND HIS FAMILY TONIGHT AS THEY GRIEVE THE LOS -- WE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYING THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT -- ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TODAY. THEY SHARED, COMINGO T UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, THE EMOTIONS IN THE ROOM, FINDING -- DESCRIBING WTHA HAPPENED IN THAT SCHOOL TODAY, THE UNIMAGINABLE. WE HEARD FROM SHERRIFF TOWNSEND THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID. >> ONE STUDENT WAS LOCATED WITH A GUNSHOT WOD.UN MEDICAL RESPONDSER BEGAN LIFESAVING MEASURES AND THE INJURED STUDENT SWA TRANSPORTED TO WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER. WHERE HE SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES. RACHEL: THAT MOMENT WHEWEN LEARNED THATHE T VICTIM HAD DIED AGARNED THATHE T VICTIM HAD DIED AIN, JUST TEARS ACROSS THE ROOM, YOU COULD HEAR THE EMOTION COMING OUTF O THOMPSON THIS AFTERNOON. SHERRIFF KIM BRO ALSO SHARING THE EMOTIALON MESSAGE SIMILAR TO THOMPSON, POINTING OUT THAT THE FOCUS REALLY IS ON ETH FAMILY AND IT AISN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, WE KNOW THE SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY AND THERE IS AOT L MORE TO BE DONE. HOW DID SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN INSIDE A SCHOOL BUILDING, SOMETHING THESE LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WANT TO CONTINUE TO PRESS ON IN THIS INVESTIGATION. I DID ASKF ITHEY ARE GOING TO BE CONTINUED SECURITY MEASURES INTO THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS THIS COMMUNITY GRAPPLES WITH WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, AND I WAS TOLD THERE WERE GOING TOE B INCREASED PATROLS AND SECURITY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, UNSURE OF WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT SPECIFICALLY THAT LOSOK LEIK BUT WE ARE TOLD THAT IS THE CASE AND THERE WILL BE A CRISIS TEAM SENT OUT INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL TIME FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL TOY.DA IT IS SOMETHING A LOT OF US ARE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INSIDE THAT ROOM EMPHASIZED OR VEAND OVER AGAIN IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING AT HOME ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OR LED TO THE SHOOTING, ANY VIDEOS, PHOTOS, PHONE CALLS, ANYTHING KELI THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS PERTINENT TO THIS INVESTIGATION. THEY ARE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE COME FORWARD. NOW, LIVE IN DOWTOWN WINSTOSAN-LEM, RACHEL ELLIS, WXII 12 NEWS. KIMBERLY: I’M SURE THE OFFICERS ARE GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION, ANDE W WILL LEARN MORE TONIGHT. WE WANT TO HREA FROM MAYOR ALLEN JOINES, HE WAS AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY. >> IT’S A SAD DAY FOR THE SCHOOLS, BUT IT IS SET OR FOR THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM AND THE COUNTY OF FORSYTH AS WE EXPERIENCED SOMETHING WE SEE ON TV ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT WE HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE HERE WE HAVE NOT HAD TO EXPERIENCE THAT. TODAY WE ARE FACING IT HEAD ON WITH THE DEATH OF A STUDE FNTROM MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL. TALITHA: GIVING AN UPDATE FROM THE FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE. WE WANT TO UPDEAT YOU ALL THAT IS SUSPECT HAS BEEN IN CUSTODY. WE HAVE BEEN ON THE AIR SINCE 12:00 NOON TALKING ABOUT THIS AND SIX HOSUR LATER ON THAT WE DO KNOW A SUSPECT WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. I WILL READ THIS DIRECTLY FROM A FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, EYTH SAID ETH SUSPECT FROM THE SHOOTING AT MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGNGOI AND WE WILL RELEASE MORE INFORMATION AS APPROPRIATE. OUR CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR THE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES OF WILLIAM CHAVIS RAYNARD MILLER JR. WE DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE KNOW THAT THE SUSPECT IS ALSO A STUDENT FROM MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL. TODAY WE WERE STILL WORKING TO GET THOSE ANSWERS, SO UNFORTUNATELY THE VICTIM ALSO FROM MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOLND A WE NOW KNOW THE SUSPECT IS A STUDENT AS WELL. KIMBERLY: AT THIS POINT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE MOTIVE WAS FOR THE SHOOTING, WE WILL LIKELY FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION IN THE DAY AHEAD AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ALSO ASKING ABOUT SCHOOL AT MOUNT TABOR TOMORROW. WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THAT YET. BUT REMEMBER, THIS IS STILL AN ACTIVE CRIMECENE S ANDHE T OFFICERS ARE THERE. THEY ARE DOING TIRHE INVESTIGATION. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE MAY NOT BE SCHOOLED BUT WE HAVE NO IDEATA THIS POINT. WE WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS A COMES INTO OUR NEWSROOM. TALIA:THE W TALKED TO SOME PARENTS EARLIER TODAY AS THEY WAITED OUTSIDE THE YA,MC YOU ARE LOOKING ATOM SE VIDEO OF THAT RIGHT HERE. LET’S LISTEN IN AS WE HEAR RE ACTION FROM PARENTS AND WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH JUST TO BE REUNITED WITH THEIR CHILDREN. >> I GOT A CALL, I ACTUALLY GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM MY DAUGHTER, SHE SWA LIKE OH MY GOSH, THEY ARE SHOOTING, COME GET ME, PLEASE COME TGE ME,O S I GET READY TO TEXT HER BACK AND THAT SHE CALLS AND SHE IS FRANTIC, SHE’S LIKE MOM, CO GMEET ME, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR SCREAMING, PUSHING, I HEAR NO WEIGHT, NO, IT WAS CHAOTIC. I WAS AT MY OFFICE, I SOFTWARE I WAS DOING, I GRABBED MY DAUGHTER, I JUMPED IN THE CAR, I CALLED MY HUSBAND, I WAS FRANTIC. THEOLD ME TO CALM DOWN, SO I GOHERET WITHIN 10 MINUTES. SHE STILL WAS I GUESS IN THE SCOLHO GETTING SHUFFLED AROUND, SHE WAS LITERALLY BYHE T INITIAL ALTERCATION, SHE WAS IN THE CAFETERI FORA, MY UNDERSTANDING THEY WERE RIGHT INSIDE THE CAFETERIA WHEN THE BOYS RAN PAST TH.EM SO I AM JUST THINK BOTH THAT SHE IS HERE AND NOT ONE THAT GOT HIT BECAUSE IT VERY WEL COULLD HAVE BEEN HER. KIMBERLY: HEARINFROMG PARENTS ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE HEARING FROM THEIR CHILDREN IN THE SCENE ABOUT SHOOTING TODAY. WE WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE SANCTUARY AT CENTENARY UNITED METHODTIS CHURCH IN WINSTON-SALEM WILL BE OPENOR F ABOUT 40 REMO MINUTES UNTIL 7:00 TONIGHT, THIS IS FOR PRAYER ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. THE ADDRESS IS 646 WEST 5TH STREET IN WINSTON-SALEM AND IN CLEMMONS,HE T YOUTH GROUP AT THE FRIENDS BAPTIST CHURCH IS HOLDING COUNSELORS FOR ANYONE WHO NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE AND EYTH WILL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 9:00 TONIGHT. TALIA:TH UNION BAPTIST CHURCH IN WINSTON-SALEM ARE ALSO HOLDING A PRAYER AND ACTION PRAYER GATHERING MOTUN TABOR AND ALL SCHOOLS. THATS I HAPPENING TONIGHT. IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO THOSE EARLY HURT, THAT IS STARTING DUST EARLIER, THAT IS STARTING AT ABOUT 7:00. THEY’RE ALSO GOING TO BE PUTTING TOGETHER A ZOOM CALL IF THEY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITE. IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT O,UT THAT IS 301-715-8592. IT IS A PRAYER AND ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM BISHOP MACK D ANYOUTH MINISTER FRANCIS WILL BE SPEAKING. THAT IS CRITICAL, HOW DO WE NOW REACH CHILDREN WHO HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH SO MUCH AND HOW DO THEY COPE, HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH THIS, AND HOW DO THEY ALSO ENOP UP FROM IT BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE SO MANY MAJOR TALKING INPOTS TONIGHT WITH CHILDREN. AND EVEN DEFECTIVE HOW DO THEY ENTH GO BACK TO SCHOOL. THROUGH ALL OF THIS, THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH. KIMBERLY: THAT IS THE HARD PART. EIGHT DAYS INTO SCHOOL. FOR MANY OF THESE KIDS, THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OHIF GH SCHOOL FOR THEM. WE WANT TO GET RIGHT OUT TO KENNY BECK, HE HAS NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUSPECT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO. KENN Y:KIMBERLY, TO LEAVE THE, A LO--T TALITAH, A LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVES -- SOURCE TELLS ME THE SUSPECT IS UNDER 18 SO THEIR IDENTITY WILL NOT BE RELEASED PUBLICLY. THE SUSPECT WAS EITHER A FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMEOR AT MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND UNDERCLASSMEN. THE SUSPTEC WAS ARRESTED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM. MORE DETAILS EXPECTED TO EMERGE AS THE EVENING GOES ON. AS FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE, WE ARE ABOUT A MILE AWAY, THE RAIN CONTINUES TO MECO DOWN OUTSIDE OF THE MOUNT TABOR AREA. SEE IF YOU CAN PAN OVER AND SHOW SOME OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS PARKING LOT HAS PICKED UP, IT HAS BEEN MORE ACTIVE HERE IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 MINUTES OR SO THEN IT HAS BEEN INHE T PREVIOUS TWO HOURS. A NUMBER OF PARENTS HAVE MECO THROUGH AND I ASKED LAW ENFORCEMENT EMBERS FROM WINSTON-SALEM PD WHO W OUTAS HERE WHAT FOLKS NEED TO KNOW. THIS CONTINUES TO BA PLE ACE THAT MNTOU TABOR FAMILIES, PARENTS, GUARDIANS CAN COME TO TORENTS, GUARDIANS CAN COME TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN REUNITE WITH THEISONR OR DAUGHTER. THE SOUERC AT TABOR LDTO ME STAFF IS STILL THERE AND A NUMBER OF STUDENTS ARE STILL THERE AND IT IS UNCLEAR HOW LONG IT IS GOING TO TAKE FOR THAT PROCESS TO BIN.EG THE GOOD NEWS AGAIN, WE CAN REPORT, THE SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY AND CHRIS, PAN UP AT THAT. WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE IMAGE HERE AT THE END OF A TRAUMATIC DAY MOM A RAINBOW LESS THAN A MILE FROM MOUNT TABOR HHIG SCHOOL HERE OUTSIDE OF WHITAKER SQUARE, SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY,AR PENTS BEING UNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES, WITH THREI STUDENTS, THREI LOVED ONES. ITAS H BEEN A DREADFUL DAY OUT HERE BUT MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THATE W HAD AS RECELYNT AS HALF AN HOUR OR 45 MINUTES AGO ARE BEGINNING TO COME INTO FOCUS, LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCE TELLING USHE T SUSPECTS I A JUVENILE, UNDER AGE 18. ISTH PERSON’S IDENTITY WILL NOT BE REAELSED PUBLICLY. THIS PERSON WAS AND UNDERCLASSMEN, SOPHOMORE OR FRESHMAN AT MOUNT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY WERE ARRESTED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM. PARENTS CONTINUE TO COME IN HERE, THIS IS THE MOST ACTIVE I HAVE SEEN THIS PARKING LOT IN ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS AS MORE AND MORE PARENTS, PERHSAP SOME WHO WERE UNABLE TO LEAVE WORK EARLIER IN THE DAY, IT IS NOW WELL PAST 6:00. THEY ARE BEGINNING TO START THE PROCESS OF REUNITINGIT WH THEIR CHILDR.EN THIS IS A PROCESS THAT COULD STILL TAKE NYMA MORE HOURS. LIVE IN WINSTON-SALEM, KENNY BECKWX, II 12 NEWS. KIMBERLY: I’M SURE FOR A LOTF O PARENTS, A RELIEF THAT OUR SUSPECT HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY A ONDNE REAYLL ROUGH NIGHT FOR THEM AS A FAMILY, GOING THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. SOME OF THESE KIDS HAVE BEEN REUNITED BUT IT IS HAPPENING. TALITHA: I TOUGH TEIM FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, ETH COMMUNITY IMPACTED BY TH.IS KIMBERLY: AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TWO. WE SAW EMOTION TODAY FROM SHERRIFF BOBBY KIMBROU.GH LISTEN TO THIS. >> I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO HANDLE TT.HA I JUST DON’T. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I SAW DAN FELT. WHAT SHE SENT TO MET I WAS KIMBROUGH, M BABY. I TOLD HER IAS W GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I COULD TO FIND OUT AND BRING WHOEVER ROSE FOR SPONSOR BOTH FOR THIS --S I RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. KIMBERLY: HES I A TOUGH GUY AND IS SEEING SOMEONE LIKE HIM BREAK DOWN AND TELLS YOU THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION THEY ARE DEALING WITH AND HAVE DEALT WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. TALITHA: ANDE H KNOWS PERSONALLY THE EXPERIENCEF O GRIEF WITHIN HIS FAMILY AND HE SAYS I HAVE NOT CRIED THE WAY I CRIED TODAY AND A VERY LONG TIME AND HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP CRYING SINCE LEAVING THE HOSPILTA, AT WAKE FOREST BAPTIST MEDICAL CENT
Student dead after shooting at North Carolina high school; suspect apprehended after hourslong search
Updated: 7:01 PM EDT Sep 1, 2021
A student died on Wednesday after being shot at a North Carolina high school, according to authorities. Authorities said the shooter is believed to be a fellow student and has been taken into custody.Winston-Salem police Chief Catrina Thompson, fighting back tears, told a news conference that Mount Tabor High School went into immediate lockdown as emergency responders, sheriff’s deputies and police officers arrived just after noon to search for the suspect, who she said was believed to be a student at the school.The student killed at Mount Tabor High School has been identified as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, Thompson said. "I haven’t cried in a while, but I've been crying since I left the hospital," said Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr.The campus was placed on a lockdown after the shooting happened at about 12:05 p.m., and deputies with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed all other students were safe. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the incident, according to the agency’s Charlotte office.Police blocked roads to the school, which has an enrollment of more than 1,500 students, and numerous emergency vehicles were on the scene. Parents frantic for information parked their cars on the sidewalks several blocks from the school as police directed traffic away from campus. Students and parents could be seen walking toward a nearby shopping center.Christopher Johnson said his son told him that he heard the gunshots while in the school gym and students were told to hide because there was an active shooter on campus."It’s scary to know that it actually reached out and touched you this time. My son’s not a victim, but he’s part of this and he’ll probably remember this forever," said Johnson, whose son was still at the school awaiting transportation to a pickup point.
A student died on Wednesday after being shot at a North Carolina high school, according to authorities.
Authorities said the shooter is believed to be a fellow student and has been taken into custody.
Winston-Salem police Chief Catrina Thompson, fighting back tears, told a news conference that Mount Tabor High School went into immediate lockdown as emergency responders, sheriff’s deputies and police officers arrived just after noon to search for the suspect, who she said was believed to be a student at the school.
The student killed at Mount Tabor High School has been identified as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, Thompson said.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
"I haven’t cried in a while, but I've been crying since I left the hospital," said Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr.
The campus was placed on a lockdown after the shooting happened at about 12:05 p.m., and deputies with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed all other students were safe.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the incident, according to the agency’s Charlotte office.
Police blocked roads to the school, which has an enrollment of more than 1,500 students, and numerous emergency vehicles were on the scene. Parents frantic for information parked their cars on the sidewalks several blocks from the school as police directed traffic away from campus. Students and parents could be seen walking toward a nearby shopping center.
Christopher Johnson said his son told him that he heard the gunshots while in the school gym and students were told to hide because there was an active shooter on campus.
"It’s scary to know that it actually reached out and touched you this time. My son’s not a victim, but he’s part of this and he’ll probably remember this forever," said Johnson, whose son was still at the school awaiting transportation to a pickup point.
