JONESBORO — Authorities are continuing to search for the Aug. 18 Tara Stadium shooting suspect.
In a school safety and security update at the Monday, Aug. 28 Clayton County Board of Education work session, Clayton County Public Schools Police Maj. Ernest Mitchell said the suspect was identified as an alternative high school student in Clayton County. The student has not been publicly named.
A judge has signed a pick-up order from juvenile court and Mitchell explained that it’s the equivalent of an arrest warrant for an adult.
During the discussion, School Board member Dee Haney asked about the lighting at Tara and the number of security officers at football games.
Clayton County Athletics Director Gary Townsend said light towers have been ordered to increase lighting at stadiums and added that the Sept. 1 Jonesboro-Dutchtown football game was moved from Tara to Twelve Oaks Stadium.
School Superintendent Anthony Smith stressed that CCPS has proper lighting at the stadiums but the system is enhancing lighting.
There are 18 to 22 school resource officers and security officers at games, not including personnel from the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and police departments.
School Board Chair Jessie Goree asked about the possibility of student ID cards which could help identify students at events.
Smith said the school system is working on that, not just to help with security but the ID cards would be used for other purposes as well.
On Aug. 18, an 18-year-old Dutchtown High School senior, identified as Isaiah Thomas, was shot three times during an attempted robbery in the Tara Stadium parking lot.
In other safety and security matters at the work session:
— Safety & Security Chief Reynard Walker said there were three weapons detected on school grounds in August, compared to five in August 2022.
The school system saw a drop in weapons on school…
Read the full article here
