19-year-old found dead after forcing entry at Virginia elementary school, staff member injured
Police say a 19-year-old intruder died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the library of Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro, Virginia, while an adult staff member was shot but expected to survive.
Police identified the suspect as 19-year-old Anthony I. Ignatiadis-Isabelle of Augusta County. Officers were alerted at about 9:12 a.m. on Sept. 12 to a suspicious individual on the campus of Westwood Hills Elementary School and entered the building within minutes. They discovered Ignatiadis-Isabelle dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the school library, where no students were present at the time.
An adult staff member was also shot during the incident and was treated and released, with officials saying the injuries are not life-threatening. Waynesboro Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Cassell said the school went into lockdown immediately, noting that safety protocols and staff notification of law enforcement were effective. "Every student and staff member is safe and returned home to their families," Cassell said.
Students were later reunited with families at a local church, and the school will remain closed on Thursday while authorities continue their investigation. The district plans to contact families about resources and any further operational changes.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger posted on social media that she was monitoring the emergency and thanked first responders for their assistance.