Masked man opens fire at Georgia youth detention center

EVANS COUNTY, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is investigating a shooting at a southeastern youth detention center that happened over the weekend.

Officials say someone started firing shots toward the Claxton Regional Youth Detention Center in Evans County on Sunday morning.

What we know:

According to the agency, a masked gunman fired shots toward the center’s recreation yard.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the shooting.

Deputies with the Evans County Sheriff’s Office have taken multiple suspects into custody and have requested help from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). 

The center has been placed on lockdown while an investigation in the shooting is underway.

What we don’t know:

Authorities have not released the identities of any of the suspects at this time.

It is not clear if this was a targeted act of violence toward a staff member or one of the inmates.

What they’re saying:

“The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice takes this matter very seriously and is working closely with state and local law enforcement to ensure the safety of our staff and youth, as well as to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” a department official told FOX 5 in a statement.