Georgia teacher fires gunshot inside classroom

A teacher at Dalton High School in Whitfield County, Georgia allegedly barricaded himself inside a classroom and fired a handgun. There were no major injuries reported as a result of the incident and the suspect has since been taken into police custody.

The suspect has been identified as 53-year-old Jesse Randal Davidson, Social Studies teacher at Dalton High School.

At about 11:30 a.m., a group of students tried to enter a classroom, but Davidson refused to let them in. School Principle Steve Bartoo then attempted to open the door with a key when a single gunshot was heard from inside the room.

The school went on lockdown following the gunshot. Police arrived at the scene shortly thereafter to evacuate the area around Davidson’s classroom. The school resource officer, who was at the junior high school at the time of the incident, also showed up outside the classroom. The officer spoke to Davidson and was able to convince him to leave the classroom peacefully.

About 30 to 45 minutes after the police arrived at the scene, Davidson surrendered, according to Dalton Police Spokesman Bruce Frazier.

Davidson will be tried for multiple charges including aggravated assault, carrying a weapon on school grounds, making terroristic threats, reckless conduct, possession of a gun during commission of a crime, and disrupting public school, according to a tweet from the Dalton Police Department.

Evidence does not seem to suggest that Davidson was trying to aim at anyone, according to Frazier. One bullet had been fired through an exterior window of the classroom. “It certainly seemed like he didn’t have any intention to harm anybody else,” Frazier said.

Davidson had taught at Dalton High School since 2004. He was also a play-by-play announcer for the high school football team.

Police have not released an explanation for Davidson’s behavior. He had a positive reputation in the school, according to Principle Bartoo. “As far as I know he was fit to be at work, and I’m not aware of any current depression,” he said. Classes will resume at Dalton High school on Friday.