Police officers shot and killed a gunman who opened fire at cars at an elementary school in Valdosta, Ga., as students were being dismissed for the day, the authorities said on Friday.
The authorities identified the gunman as Tychicus Armondo Deshazer, 25, of Valdosta. They said he shot at a line of cars waiting to collect children from S.L. Mason Elementary School around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
He opened fire using a pistol, striking one car, the investigators said.
The school went into lockdown as the shooting unfolded, the authorities said.
An officer with the Valdosta Police Department was on a street near the school when she heard the shots. She drove to the school, where she saw Mr. Deshazer with a gun, the investigators said. The officer’s identity was not released.
Police officers confronted and shot Mr. Deshazer as he approached the front of the school. They tried to help Mr. Deshazer after he was shot, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, the investigators said.
The police had been searching for Mr. Deshazer for a separate incident before they found him at the school, said Jamy Steinberg, special agent in charge for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Deshazer lived about a block from the school, the agent said.
The authorities did not indicate what led Mr. Deshazer to open fire.
The officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, according to a news release from the Valdosta Police Department. The school’s resource officer was among those who responded, Superintendent Craig Lockhart said in a video statement.
He praised the elementary school’s safety drills and procedures.
“Our law enforcement partners and our school staff are true heroes,” Dr. Lockhart said.
The Valdosta Police Department requested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conduct an independent investigation into the shooting, according to statements from both agencies.
Valdosta is just north of the Florida border, about 230 miles south of Atlanta.
In the video statement, Dr. Lockhart said the issues of gun violence and mental health should not be ignored.
“If you or someone you know are struggling, please seek help. There is no shame in doing so,” he said.
The school will have extra support staff and counselors on hand on Monday for students and can provide a list of local support resources for families, Dr. Lockhart said.
Rylee Kirk reports on breaking news, trending topics and major developing stories for The Times.
The post Police Kill Man Who Shot at Cars Outside Georgia Elementary School appeared first on New York Times.
