Appling Co. Coroner: Student declared dead after self-inflicted gunshot wound

APPLING COUNTY, GA (WTOC) - The student who suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound at Appling County High School on Monday died from his wounds according to the Appling County Coroner.

At this time, the teenager remains on life support to be an organ donor.

The police chief said the 16-year-old student suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound on school property. According to police, a weapon was recovered and there was no danger to students.

“The student was located in the fine arts building,” said GBI Special Agent Mark Pro. “At this time, there is no evidence to believe this is anything other than an isolated incident.”

Law enforcement kept the school on lockdown until they could determine no other students were involved.

“We did gather the student population and the staff population together in the gym area here at Appling County High School,” said Dr. Scarlett Copeland, School Superintendent. “We debriefed the students, first and foremost, to know this environment was safe and secure.”

“We have no evidence to believe that this was anything other than an isolated situation,” said Special Agent, Mark Pro.

They are trying to figure out where the gun came from - the student’s home or elsewhere. Superintendent Copeland praised law enforcement’s response and says safety remains a priority.

“We’ve been assessing safety for more than a year now, with conversations at great length with the Appling County Board of Education," Copeland said.

The school dismissed students early from the high school. Dr. Copeland said the school had additional counselors on hand for students when classes resume.

Copyright 2018 WTOC. All rights reserved.