An adult male was injured in a shooting at the Decatur Library, the main branch of DeKalb County Public Library, on February 2. The incident took place at approximately 5:10 p.m. at 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur, Georgia. Officers from the Decatur Police Department responded to reports of a shooting and found the victim inside the library with a gunshot wound. He was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital.
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, CEO of DeKalb County, said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the individual who was injured, his family, and all those affected, including our library employees and patrons who were present and are understandably shaken by this incident.”
The library will remain closed tomorrow as authorities continue their investigation. Updates about reopening will be provided when available.
The Decatur Police Department is leading the investigation into the incident. The DeKalb County Public Library is cooperating fully with law enforcement officials. Inquiries regarding the ongoing investigation should be directed to the police department.
Alison L. Weissinger, Director of DeKalb County Public Library, stated, “The safety and well-being of our staff and patrons is our top priority. We are taking the necessary steps to support our employees and to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place as the investigation continues.”
In related information about DeKalb County schools for context:
– Enrollment dropped by 2.2% during the 2022-23 school year compared to the previous year (https://www.gadoe.org/).
– There were 98,287 students enrolled in county schools during that period (https://www.gadoe.org/).
– White students made up 14% of total enrollment in DeKalb County schools for that year (https://www.gadoe.org/).
Further updates will be released as more details become available.
