ATLANTA — Authorities are investigating after an Atlanta Public Schools Police officer shot a parent in the hand outside of the Booker T. Washington High School campus Wednesday, according to the agency.
Atlanta Police and APS Police were called to investigate, and several patrol vehicles were seen in the area after school's 3:30 p.m. dismissal.
11Alive's crews at the scene spoke with witnesses who said that there was a fight outside of the school involving at least two young people and it escalated. School officials called the mother of one of the students, according to those accounts.
APS released a statement Wednesday evening that said as students were fighting, a parent came to campus with a weapon "and began waving it in the direction of students, employees and an Atlanta Public Schools Police officer."
Per the district's statement, the officer ordered the parent to drop the weapon.
"When the parent did not comply with the order, the officer fired one shot, which struck the person in the hand," a district spokesperson said.
Paramedics were called to tend to the parent's wound. Authorities said no students or school employees were hurt.
The parent is facing several charges, APS said. Meantime, APS Police are continuing to investigate the incident and the agencies have asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to step in as well.