3 detained after 4 students shot at Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta, officials say

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Three people have been detained for questioning after a shooting at Benjamin E. Mays High School Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly after the dismissal bell, another sound sent students scrambling.

Gunshots rang out in the lower campus parking lot.

“There was a fight that our officers responded to in the parking lot. Shortly after responding, there were shots fired. Four students were shot,” said Atlanta Public Schools Police Chief Ronald Applin.

The four male students, which included three 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old, were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.

Atlanta Public Schools Police said the gunshots came from a vehicle and worked with Atlanta Police to help locate it.

“They were critical in us being able to quickly get a vehicle stopped at Baker Road and Commercial drive. In that vehicle, we were able to detain three individuals,” said Major Ralph Woolfolk of Atlanta Police.

Students were brought to the cafeteria and gym and were dismissed in stages. Investigators spoke with about 100 students throughout the night to get their accounts.

During a press conference, Chief Applin said they will amp up their security presence at school on Thursday.

“In the hallways, outside, when you’re coming to the school, very visible, so that we can make sure that they feel a lot more comfortable tomorrow when they come to school,” he said.

The three taken to Atlanta Police Headquarters include a 35-year-old woman, her 17-year-old daughter, and the woman’s son, whose age was not disclosed.

At this point, nobody has been arrested.