ATLANTA _ A North Georgia teacher, known as the longtime radio voice of Dalton High School football and basketball, is in custody after he fired at least one shot inside a classroom, police said.
The incident at Dalton High School, about 91 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, sent panicked students running through hallways and alarmed parents already on edge in the wake of a mass shooting Feb. 14 at a Florida high school.
About 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, some students tried to get into Randal Davidson's classroom and he would not let them in, Dalton police spokesman Bruce Frazier said.
They alerted the principal. When the principal came to the door and used his key to try to open it, Davidson forcibly closed it on him, Frazier said.
At that point, the principal heard a gunshot. Police have not said what type of gun was used, only that it was a handgun.
"We had officers inside the building quickly," Frazier said.
Officers evacuated a hallway and secured the area first.
During the evacuation, a female student was hurt, police said. That student is being treated by emergency officials for an ankle injury.
After about 30 to 45 minutes, authorities were able to get Davidson to surrender.
"I don't believe we've had any dealings with him before," Frazier said.
Davidson, a 53-year-old social studies teacher, has been at Dalton High since 2004. In 2012, he was recognized as the school's top teacher, according to the district, which wrote about his non-traditional path to teaching in a profile that year.
He moved to Dalton in 1995 and became sports and news director at WBLJ-AM radio, the district said.
The Georgia State Patrol is assisting police with the investigation.
