In light of football shootings, school leaders discuss safety

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - At least one Richmond County School Board member made a motion to suspend homecoming activities and tailgating during Tuesday’s meeting.

The motion did not pass, so all those activities will go on as scheduled, with enhanced safety measures and a request for the community to report anything suspicious.

Parents are worried about the vague answers, and they don’t feel enough is being done in the aftermath of two shootings in two days at Richmond County football gatherings. Shots were fired Friday night outside a Laney High School game, then on Saturday, two people were injured in a shooting at a Josey High School postgame tailgate party.

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As far as moving forward:

“We do not want to make just any ad hoc decisions,” said Richmond County Board of Education President Charlie Hannah.

Hannah spoke with us ahead of the meeting and the only ad hoc decision that came up was a movement to ban tailgating and homecoming festivities. With school board members largely disagreeing, it didn’t pass.

Going into Friday, the Director of School Safety Mantrell Wilson says the administration is talking, and nothing is off the table, but security measures will remain tight-lipped.

“Sharing the security measures we are putting in place aren’t always the best practice. Those things need to remain confidential due to people being able to circumvent them if we share them,” he said.

If students feel unsafe or see anything suspicious, this is his advice.

“Make sure they’re watching where they’re going, walking with a friend, that they don’t veer off. If there’s a fight, go in the other direction,’ he said.

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