North Carolina high school shooting: 1 dead, suspect in custody

FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. - Authorities in Winston-Salem, North Carolina said one student was killed in a shooting at Mt. Tabor High School Wednesday. After being at large for hours, a suspect was taken into custody, police said.

Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson told reporters in a news conference that first responders arrived on the scene shortly afternoon and found a student injured. That student was then transported to a local hospital where "he succumbed to his injuries."

Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough identified the student as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr. Authorities said he was the only one shot but wouldn’t elaborate what they believe led to the shooting. 

"The community needs your prayers," Kimbrough added. "My prayers are with the family."

Later that day the Twitter account for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s office confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody. 

"The suspect from the shooting at Mt Tabor High School was taken into custody without incident. The investigation is on-going and we will release more information as appropriate," police wrote. 
 

Authorities previously said all other students are safe but the incident prompted a lockdown for schools in the area as a precaution.

"Mount Tabor High School is on lockdown," the office posted on Facebook Wednesday afternoon. "There has been a shooting on school property."

RELATED: Elijah McClain: 5 first responders charged in Black man's 2019 death

The Winston-Salem Police Department is also helping with the investigation. Police also sent out a tweet to parents about the lockdown.

Authorities previously said students were being transported to the nearby Harris Teeter on Peace Haven Road to be reunited with their parents. Police later tweeted that there was a disturbance in the area but haven’t confirmed there was a second shooting. Shortly after, students were reunited with their parents at an undisclosed location. 

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.

"You see stuff like this in the media," said Johnson, whose son was still at the school awaiting transportation to a pickup point. "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."

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper also released a statement in the wake of the shooting, which came after another shooting at another North Carolina high school on Monday. According to local reports, a teenager was shot and injured following a fight.

"For the second time this week, we have seen a shooting at a North Carolina school," Cooper tweeted. "Our prayers are with the victims, their families and all the students of Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem."

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the shooting, according to the agency’s Charlotte office

This is a developing story. Austin Williams and the Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.