At least four people were killed and nine others injured Wednesday in a shooting at a high school near Atlanta, authorities said, adding that a suspect has been arrested.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said gunfire erupted at Apalachee High School in Winder at about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Authorities said the suspect, whose identity hasn’t been disclosed, is in police custody. The GBI dismissed earlier reports that the assailant had been “neutralized.”

“What you see behind us is an evil thing today,” Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said during an afternoon press conference.

Sheriff Smith said there were “multiple injuries” as well but did not provide specifics.

Law enforcement officials told CNN that at least 30 people were injured amid the chaos, though it was unclear how many of those injuries were from bullet wounds.

The network also reported that the suspect is a 14-year-old boy, citing law enforcement sources.

Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta confirmed to multiple media outlets that one gunshot victim had arrived at its facility.

“I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement.

Authorities evacuated students to the school’s football stadium following the gunfire. Sheriff Smith said police have been working to reunite students with their families throughout the afternoon.

President Biden said he is mourning the lives lost in the shooting and is “thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed.”

“What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart,” the president said. “Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”

Mr. Biden also urged Republicans to help pass “common-sense gun safety legislation,” which would include banning “assault weapons” and ending “immunity for gun manufacturers.”

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the FBI and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene assisting in the investigation.

Apalachee High School has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials. School has been in session since Aug. 1.

Apalachee High became Barrow County’s second-largest public high school when it opened in 2000, according to the Barrow County School System. It’s named after the Apalachee River on the southern edge of Barrow County.

• This story is based in part on wire service reports.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.