District says school officer shot angry mother who came to school with weapon

ATLANTA — Atlanta Public Schools says an angry parent was shot by a school police officer after she showed up at school with a weapon.

Police were called out to Booker T. Washington High School around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday following a fight between students that happened as school got out.

“A parent came to the campus with a weapon and began waving it in the direction of students, employees and an Atlanta Public Schools Police Officer. The officer ordered the parent to drop the weapon. When the parent did not comply with the order, the officer fired one shot which struck the parent in the hand,” the district said in a statement.

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Family members say the mother went to the school to defend her daughter, and that pulling out her gun was self-defense.

A woman, who did not want to be identified, said a fight between some girls started at the school before spilling over into her yard. She was the parent of one of girls involved in the fight, as well.

“Some girls came over and jumped my girls, that’s how everything started,” she told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln. “They were fighting in my yard, jumping my children.”

The mother who was shot’s sister said the homeowner was threatening to shoot the woman’s daughter.

“They got fighting right in front of the house, the mother told my sister that she was going to shoot my niece,” the sister told Lincoln.

EMS was called to the school where the mother’s wounds were taken care of. No one else was injured in the incident.

“APS Police and Atlanta Police are conducting a full investigation of the incident, and the parent faces several charges. As this was an officer involved shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating as well. The safety and well-being of our students and employees is always a top priority for all Atlanta Public Schools,” the district said.

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