1 Adult Shot After Gunman Forces Way Into VA Elementary School: Police

WAYNESBORO, VA — A 19-year-old man on Wednesday forced his way into a Virginia elementary school, where a staff member was shot before police found the suspect dead in the building's library, authorities said.

At a news conference held after the incident, Waynesboro Police Chief David Shaw identified the shooter as Anthony I. Ignatiadis-Isabelle, 19, of Waynesboro. No students were injured during the shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School.

According to Shaw, police were first notified about a suspicious person on the grounds of the school at 548 Rosser Ave. around 9:12 a.m. Ignatiadis-Isabelle then forced his way inside.

Officers arrived within minutes and immediately entered the school, where they found Ignatiadis-Isabelle dead in the library. No students were in the library at the time, Shaw said.

About three minutes passed between the initial call to police and officers locating Isabel, according to the chief.

One adult staff member suffered a gunshot wound that was not considered life-threatening. The staff member was treated and released.

Police did not immediately say what led to the shooting. They also didn't identify the wounded employee or disclose whether investigators had determined a connection between Isabel and the staff member.

The shooting remains under investigation, and Shaw said additional information will be released once it has been confirmed.

Video from local media showed several emergency vehicles outside the school on Wednesday morning. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she was monitoring the incident.

“My heart is with these young students, their parents and families, and the teachers and staff at the school,” Spanberger said on social media. “Thank you to the first responders who are assisting at the scene.”

Waynesboro is about 96 miles northwest of Richmond.

School Closed Thursday

Westwood Hills Elementary will be closed Thursday, according to Waynesboro Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Cassell.

Students and staff were placed under lockdown after the shooting, and families were later reunited at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Cassell thanked families for following the district's reunification procedures and credited school employees and responding law enforcement agencies for their response.

All students and staff members were accounted for and returned home to their families, Cassell said.

The superintendent became visibly emotional as he addressed the shooting during Wednesday's news conference.

"Today is the day every school system hopes they never have to deal with," Cassell said. "I need to praise the response of our staff, the Waynesboro Police Department, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, the Virginia State Police, and our local, state, and federal partners. Our safety and security protocols and procedures worked."

He continued, "Please hug your children and your families this evening."