WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — One day after a school shooting shut down a community, neighbors are still in shock that something like this could hit so close to home.
Police cars raced to Mount Tabor High School Wednesday afternoon after a school resource officer called in the shooting.
The victim, 15-year-old William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr., was taken to Baptist Medical Center but died from his injuries. No other students were shot.
Law enforcement officers from several agencies including the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, Winston-Salem Police Department, and State Highway Patrol responded to the scene.
The investigation locked down the school and surrounding streets for hours.
Now, balloons, flowers and candles sit outside the entrance to Mount Tabor High School, in memory of William.
Doug Dampier heard the sirens and walked outside to see what was going on and knew something had to be very wrong.
"It was almost unbelievable. I mean, there had to be 60, 80 emergency cars. Police cars," he said.
Dampier and his neighbors looked on for some time, watching the scene unfold, hoping the reports they were hearing that a student had been shot weren't true.
"It was tragic. It was tragic. Hoping it was not true and looking to get confirmation, which eventually we did.. and very tragic," he said.
Derek Smith lives down the street from the school. He and his family were getting back from a trip, and saw the reports on the national news, and couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"I can't imagine what the parents are going through," Smith said.
A number of neighbors who live in the area had kids that went to Mount Tabor High School at one point or another, hitting even closer to home for them.
"Very sad and my condolences go out to the family that lost a child and I just hope this never happens again in our community," he said.