Suspect in Waynesboro elementary shooting attended school: district shares new information
Sep 05, 2026
WAYNESBORO, Va. (WRIC) -- The suspect in the Wednesday morning shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School attended the school, Waynesboro Public Schools officials confirmed on Saturday.
Following the Wednesday morning shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School that led to the death of 19-year-o
ld suspect Anthony I. Ignatiadis-Isabelle and the injury of one staff member, Waynesboro Public Schools launched a website on Saturday, Sept. 5 to answer questions about the incident.
Ignatiadis-Isabelle attended Westwood Hills Elementary School and Kate Collins Middle School, the website said. He did not attend Waynesboro High School.
According to the Wayneboro Police Department, the investigation into the shooting is active and ongoing. The suspect appears to have acted alone, but further investigation may reveal more information, police said in a Sept. 4 release linked on the school's website.
Police are working to confirm the suspect's motive and actions leading up to and during the event on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 2, they said.
According to the school's website, the suspect was armed with a 20-gauge shotgun and forced his way into the school by shooting through a rear door and breaking through it.
Lockdown procedures were initiated when a suspicious individual was seen on the exterior video monitoring system before the suspect forced his way into the school, the website said.
At about 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, the city of Waynesboro and the Waynesboro Police Department held a press conference to provide details about the shooting.
Police said they received reports of a suspicious person at Westwood Hills, at around 9:12 a.m. on Sept. 2. According to the Sept. 4 release, Waynesboro Police School Resource Officers had about a one-minute response time.
Authorities found him dead in the library from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, they said in Wednesday's conference.
A Westwood Hills Elementary School special education aide also suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound during the incident, the school's website said. The aide received treatment and was released from care the same day.
According to police, there is no connection or relationship between the suspect and the staff member who was injured.
Waynesboro Public Schools will be conducting a comprehensive review of school security for all buildings in the division, the website said.
The website provides further information on nearly two dozen questions about the incident, including school safety and security protocols, student and staff support efforts and school communications, attendance and operations.
A release announcing the launch of the website on Saturday said:
"This site is intended to provide families, staff, and community members with the most current information and resources available as we move forward together. We recognize that we do not yet have all of the answers and that no amount of information can fully ease the concerns and emotions surrounding this situation. We are committed, however, to communicating openly and keeping this website updated as additional information becomes available."
The website also provides a form that allows families and community members to submit questions.
"Your questions will help us identify areas where further information or clarification may be helpful," the release said.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
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