By Joanna Putman
Police1
ATLANTA, Ga. — Two school resource officers played a crucial role in apprehending the suspect involved in the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School, Atlanta News First reported.
The officers, identified on the Barrow County Schools District website as Tanner Good and Brandon King, were instrumental in bringing the situation under control and taking the suspect into custody, according to the report.
Both officers have extensive backgrounds in school threat response and have accumulated nearly 2,000 hours of combined law enforcement training. According to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, Good and King have undergone specialized training, including four hours in active shooter response, six hours in threat assessment in schools and 12 hours in school safety procedures.
The shooting occurred at approximately 10:20 a.m. on Sept. 4 when a 14-year-old allegedly opened fire inside Apalachee High School, according to the report. Police responded quickly to alerts about the active shooter and arrived at the scene to find the 14-year-old attempting to leave the school. He surrendered to law enforcement without further incident.
During a news conference, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said all teachers in the county are armed with the emergency alert technology Centegix. The schools had been equipped with it for about a week.
“Centegix alarms us and alerts the law enforcement office after buttons are pressed on the ID,” Sheriff Jud Smith said during a news conference. “It alerts us that there’s an active situation at a school for whatever reason, and that was pressed. We’ve had that for about a week now.”
Smith also commended officers Good and King for their swift and effective response, which helped prevent further casualties.
The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of two teachers and two students, while nine others were injured and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, according to the report.
The 14-year-old, a student at Apalachee High School, has been charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, according to police. The investigation is ongoing as the community mourns the loss of those affected by the shooting.
