Police respond to near-school shooting; community urged to avoid area
Savannah police are investigating a shooting that left a 19-year-old male with serious injuries on Tuesday afternoon near Windsor Forest High School, authorities said. Officers responded to the intersection of Largo Drive and Woodley Road after a report of gunfire, and the injured man was transported to a hospital.
By early evening, the Savannah Police Department had confirmed that one suspect was in custody and another remained at large. Law enforcement continued to investigate the scene and had closed portions of the area while collecting evidence.
"Earlier today, officers with the Savannah Police Department responded to the area of Allora Apartments on Largo Dr for the report of a shooting... The local area schools and university are on lockdown out of an abundance of caution. Thank you. I will update the community once I have more information."
The statement was issued by Alderman Kurtis Purtee, who urged residents to avoid the area while officers worked. Authorities did not immediately release the names or ages of the suspects, nor did they provide a motive for the shooting.
Locks, alerts and campus precautions
Windsor Forest High School initially placed the campus on lockdown and secured doors. The school, part of Savannah-Chatham County Schools, said students had already been dismissed for the day but that any students remaining for after-school activities were brought inside.
Georgia Southern University also issued an emergency alert advising a shelter-in-place while Savannah police investigated an off-campus incident at Largo Drive and Windsor Road. The university alert described two suspects at the time as:
- a Black male wearing a white tank top, and
- a Black male wearing a white t-shirt and khaki pants.
That shelter-in-place order was later lifted; Georgia Southern students and staff were informed that the campus had received an "all clear" after police said one suspect was in custody and the immediate shelter directive ended. City officials, however, continued to caution residents to proceed carefully in and around the area.
Timeline of updates
| Time (approx.) | Update |
|---|---|
| ~3:38 p.m. | Georgia Southern issues shelter-in-place alert for off-campus shooting. |
| 3:47 p.m. | Windsor Forest High reported lockdown; students and after-school participants secured inside. |
| 3:51 p.m. | Savannah Police confirm officers responded to Largo Drive and Woodley Road for shooting; one person seriously injured. |
| 4:40 p.m. | Georgia Southern lifts lockdown; police report one suspect in custody, one still at large. |
| 5:39 p.m. | Alderman Kurtis Purtee issues public statement; area remains under investigation. |
Investigators said the suspects were last seen in the area of the Joseph Landings Apartment Complex at 12350 Mercy Blvd. As of the latest update, direction of travel for the suspects was unknown.
Community response and next steps
Neighborhood residents and families of students expressed concern as the incident unfolded, with officials stressing that precautions taken by schools and the university were made "out of an abundance of caution." Savannah police asked anyone with information about the shooting or the whereabouts of the remaining suspect to contact detectives.
Authorities did not release further details about the injured man's condition beyond describing his injuries as serious. The Savannah Police Department said the investigation was ongoing and that additional information would be released when available.
Local leaders urged residents to avoid the Largo Drive area while police continued their work. Law enforcement presence remained heavy in the neighborhood into the evening as officers canvassed for witnesses and collected evidence.
