Police Release New Details About McNair Shooting Suspect

Michelle Wirth/WABE News

There are new details about Tuesday’s school shooting at McNair Discovery Learning Academy. No one was injured, but 20-year-old suspect Michael Brandon Hill shot a round of gunfire inside the administrative office and also exchanged shots with police officers. Hill was taken into custody at the school Tuesday.

Police believe Hill entered the school by following someone else inside.  They say he carried an AK-47 assault rifle with nearly 500 rounds of ammunition. Authorities declined to give information about Hill’s motive, but DeKalb Police Chief Cedric Alexander said one thing is clear:

“I think we can all make a reasonable assumption he came there to do some harm. He did come outside of that building. He did fire shots in the direction of officers. “

Lead detective Ray Davis provided information about how Hill obtained the assault rifle despite being on probation for making terroristic threats in Henry County.

“We can’t release everything at this point, but we believe he obtained it from the house of an acquaintance.”

Authorities say Hill claimed to have stopped taking medication and may have had prior contact with someone in the school’s administration. Hill is charged with several offenses including: aggravated assault on a police officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.