Savannah High student shot while walking to school

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A Savannah High School student was injured in a shooting while walking to school on Wednesday morning, according to the Savannah Police Department.

Savannah High School was placed under a soft lockdown Wednesday after a shooter in a gray Kia opened fire on four students...hitting one.

“I feel such grief and such pain for our students who are having to live in an environment where they cannot safely leave home without an incident of this magnitude happening,” said Cornelia Hall, Board of Education, District 3.

Investigators say the students were walking to Savannah High...late for class when a 17-year-old was shot.

They sought help from firefighters at a nearby station.

“He had one small gunshot wound to the thigh. We checked his vitals. Everything was ok. We checked on his siblings. They were ok,” said Darren Lampley, fire engineer.

The teen was taken to a local hospital in serious condition but is expected to live.

The incident once again thrusts gun violence back into the minds of many in this school community.

Last November, a hoax active shooter call at Savannah High put students and teachers here on edge.

Following several separate nearby shootings in recent years...school leaders are calling for a crackdown.

“The consequences have to be hard. We cannot have this happen and just pass it off as just another occurrence in east Savannah. No, we have to find out who these criminals are and get them off the street, so our children have safe passage to school,” said Hall.

A neighbor who says he called 911 after hearing Wednesday morning’s shooting is now vowing to keep a watchful eye as students walk to class.

“I might actually feel a little bit better if I sat out there tomorrow morning as the kids are going to school. Not that I’m worried about what’s in the neighborhood, but just to let the kids know someone’s out there keeping an eye on them as they’re going to school.”

Following the shooting, a national nonprofit called the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, created after last year’s shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas, announced that they will begin immediate recruitment for its school patrol volunteer group now planned for the Savannah High community.

If you would like to volunteer, they ask that you contact the foundation to sign up for team patrols.

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