Gwinnett PD Increasing School Patrols

In response to the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, the Gwinnett County Police Department announced Friday it is increasing patrols at schools in Duluth and throughout the county.

Cpl. Edwin Ritter, public information officer for the Gwinnett PD, issued the following statement:

In light of the horrific mass shooting at the elementary school in Connecticut, the Gwinnett County Police Department will be conducting increased police patrols in and around the schools within Gwinnett County.

These increased patrols will a joint effort with the Gwinnett County School Police and Uniformed Officers with the Gwinnett County Police Department. Officers will be assigned to every school within Gwinnett County Police Jurisdiction and these patrols will last for the next several days.

The Gwinnett County Police Department takes the safety and welfare of all of the citizens within Gwinnett County seriously. The Department is conducting this proactive measure to help prevent any type of “Copy Cat” or similar incident from occurring within Gwinnett County.

A gunman, identified as 20-year-0ld Adam Lanza, entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, on Friday morning and opened fire.

According to Newtown Patch, 27 people were killed. Of that number, 20 were children. Lanza's mother, a kindergarten teacher at the school, was among the dead. Lanza died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.