WAYNESBORO, Va. — A 19-year-old man died after forcing his way into Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro on Wednesday morning and shooting a staff member, authorities said.
Police identified the man as Anthony I. Ignatiadis-Isabelle of Waynesboro. Officers later found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the school’s library.
The shooting happened while school was in session. Police said they were notified at about 9:12 a.m. after staff reported a suspicious person on the school grounds. Officers arrived approximately three minutes later and entered the building.
The injured staff member suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was treated at a hospital before being released. No students were in the library when officers found the suspect, according to authorities.
Police said the man entered the school by force. Investigators have not released a motive, and authorities have not said whether the suspect knew the staff member.
Students Reunited With Their Families
The school immediately went into lockdown after the threat was reported. Students were later taken to Westminster Presbyterian Church, where families were reunited.
Parents were instructed not to come directly to the school while the emergency response was underway.
Josiah Chant, whose child attends Westwood Hills Elementary, said he was grateful that school staff followed emergency procedures and worked to keep students safe.
One student, Italy Chant, recalled hearing the gunfire during the incident.
The situation left families waiting for information while police and school officials secured the campus and accounted for students and staff.
School Officials Praise Safety Response
Waynesboro Public Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Cassell said the district’s emergency procedures were followed during the incident.
Cassell said staff alerted law enforcement quickly and the school carried out its lockdown procedures. He also noted that Westwood Hills Elementary had conducted two lockdown drills during the first 20 days of the school year.
“All students and staff” were ultimately accounted for and returned to their families, according to the school division.
Cassell became emotional while addressing the shooting during a Wednesday news conference and thanked school employees, local law enforcement and other agencies involved in the response.
He also confirmed that Ignatiadis-Isabelle was not a student in Waynesboro Public Schools.
Police Response Came Within Minutes
Waynesboro Police Chief David Shaw said officers reached the school roughly three minutes after the initial call.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including the Waynesboro Police Department, Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police and other local, state and federal partners.
Officials said the rapid response allowed officers to enter the building and locate the suspect in the library.
Authorities have not released additional details about the weapon or what led to the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing.
Westwood Hills Elementary Closed Thursday
Westwood Hills Elementary School will remain closed Thursday, September 3, while the school community deals with the aftermath of the shooting.
Waynesboro Public Schools said other schools in the division will operate on their normal schedule Thursday, with an increased police presence at school locations.
The district also said counseling and other support resources will be available to students, teachers and staff following the incident.
The investigation into the shooting is continuing, and authorities have not announced a motive.
