A reported shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro, Virginia, has been declared “contained” by the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, after a major emergency response involving police, state troopers and a SWAT team saw students evacuated to a nearby church while surrounding schools were placed on precautionary lockdown.
A reported shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro, Virginia, has been “contained,” according to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. The first emergency calls came in at around 9.30am local time, prompting a large-scale response from Waynesboro Police, Augusta County Sheriff’s deputies, Virginia State Police and a SWAT team. Witnesses reported seeing more than 20 officers at the school, some with rifles drawn, while ATF’s Washington Field Division also responded after receiving reports of a shooting.
Students evacuated to nearby church
Students were evacuated to Westminster Presbyterian Church, at 1904 Mt Vernon Street, where families were being reunited with their children in the church’s lower fellowship hall. Waynesboro Public Schools confirmed on social media: “All Westwood students, teachers, and staff are accounted for and are safe,” adding that the school was working to reunite students and families at the designated location.
The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office said officers were carrying out a thorough clearance of the school building following the evacuation of students and staff. Authorities urged parents not to travel directly to the school, stressing that emergency vehicles and buses needed clear access to the area.
Wider precautions across the district
As a precautionary measure, all other schools in the Waynesboro Public Schools district were placed on lockdown, including schools in Stuarts Draft and the Wilson Complex. In its statement, the school district said: “As a precautionary measure, all other Waynesboro Public Schools have been placed on lockdown. More information will be released when it becomes available. All schools are secure and safe at this time. Parents and guardians, please do not call 911 for additional information. We will relay it as soon as possible.”
Authorities also urged members of the public to avoid the immediate area around the school while the investigation continued.
Reports of a possible injury
Augusta Health, the local hospital in Fishersville, confirmed that the incident was a shooting and said it remained prepared to care for anyone affected by it. Early reports referenced at least one possible victim, though initial information about whether anyone had actually been injured was conflicting. Later local reporting cited one person injured, with the injury described as non-life-threatening, although officials had not immediately confirmed further details.
Political response
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said she was monitoring the situation and expressed concern for the students, families, teachers and staff affected by the incident.
Westwood Hills Elementary is located at 548 Rosser Avenue and serves students within Waynesboro’s public school system. The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed the situation had been contained and secured, with all students, teachers and staff safely evacuated to the designated staging area. No suspect, motive, or detailed circumstances surrounding the shooting had been publicly identified in the latest updates available.
