A Georgia man is facing multiple felony charges for shooting at a teenage boy he found with his teenage daughter, forcing two Habersham County schools to lockdown on Wednesday morning. The boy was wounded and was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville in stable condition, investigators said.
The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office said 36-year-old Dustin Vandegrift was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, simple battery, and first- and third-degree cruelty to children among other charges. During an interrogation, Vandegrift told investigators that he tracked his daughter’s phone to Central Alliance Church on State Route 197. He told investigators he confronted his 17-year-old daughter and the 17-year-old boy she was with before he hit and shot at the boy.
Vandergrift’s daughter said her father not only hit and shot at the boy but also struck her.
Habersham Ninth Grade Academy confirmed the school was on “soft lockdown” Wednesday morning, but all students were safe in the building. The sheriff’s office said SROs also secured Habersham Central High School.
The Sheriff’s office said deputies responded to the scene at 10:16 a.m. and found Vandergrift attempting to leave Central Alliance Church in a vehicle. Deputies detained him and took him in for questioning.
The church is near the campuses and the schools resumed normal activities Wednesday morning. The incident didn’t occur on school property and was not related to school activities, The Sheriff’s office said.
