Details of a student shot off-campus in northeast Georgia

A student was shot yesterday morning in an off-campus incident in northeast Georgia. Toccoa Radio WNEG elicited this account as to what happened”

“At approximately 10:16 am, Habersham County Sheriff’s
deputies were dispatched to a possible shooting in the area of the 2200 block of SR 197 in Mount Airy. A 9-1-1 caller from a business across from the Ninth Grade Academy advised that they heard a gunshot come from behind the Central Alliance Church and saw a young male and female fighting.

HCSO deputies arrived in the area and located 36-year-old Dustin Vandegrift attempting to
leave the Central Alliance Church in a white 2011 Chevy Camaro.

Vandegrift was detained and subsequently transported to the Criminal Investigations Division for questioning.

School Resource Officers (SRO), after ensuring both Habersham Central High School and the
Ninth Grade Academy were secure, located a male juvenile involved in the incident and provided initial medical attention. The male juvenile was transported to the Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville by Habersham County EMS. He was reportedly in stable condition and will be interviewed following treatment.

All Habersham County Schools were released from lockdown and returned to normal school day operation. There is no ongoing threat to the community and the Central Alliance Church crime scene was released.

Habersham County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer, Kevin Angell says ‘In light of the Uvalde, TX school shooting, it is important for me to reiterate that this is not a school shooting.  It is a shooting in the proximity of two of our Habersham County Schools.  In abundance of caution and as part of our protocol, we placed all schools surrounding the incident on lockdown.  We are very proud of the response by all of our first responders and grateful this incident took place off-campus and away from students.’”