Three schools restricted access and Twin Rivers Middle School moved students as authorities searched the surrounding Buford area.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Three Gwinnett County schools were placed under security restrictions Thursday and middle school students were moved to a nearby church as an hours-long search for a New York murder suspect unfolded in the surrounding community.
Freeman’s Mill Elementary School, Mountain View High School and Twin Rivers Middle School were affected as law enforcement officers searched for 35-year-old Kean Wiggins. Authorities said the police activity was not connected to the schools, but its proximity led officials to restrict access as a precaution while officers searched roads, neighborhoods and wooded areas nearby.
The disruption began after law enforcement officers went to a home in the 1900 block of Binnies Way near Buford early Thursday. Gwinnett County police said they were assisting the U.S. Marshals Service and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office in an operation involving Wiggins, who was wanted in connection with a murder investigation in Troy, New York.
Police said Wiggins fired at least one shot at officers during the initial encounter before fleeing into the woods. The search that followed brought a large law enforcement presence to the area and led authorities to close Braselton Highway between Lena Carter Road and Old Peachtree Road. Other roads in the area also were affected as officers continued the operation.
Gwinnett County Public Schools placed Freeman’s Mill Elementary, Mountain View High and Twin Rivers Middle under soft lockdown precautions. Under the district’s definition of a soft lockdown, exterior doors are locked when a potential threat is outside a school. The measure differs from a hard lockdown, which is used when there is a threat or possible threat inside a school.
At Mountain View High School, families were told students and staff would remain inside while normal activities continued, and access to the building was restricted. Twin Rivers Middle School faced a larger disruption. Students were moved to 12Stone Church for pickup while the search continued, according to reports from the scene.
The operation moved especially close to Freeman’s Mill Elementary School late in the search. Authorities said officers located Wiggins near the school around 11:30 a.m. The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office said Wiggins fired at law enforcement and officers returned fire, striking him. He was given medical aid and transported to a hospital after being taken into custody.
No law enforcement officers or residents were reported injured. Students at Freeman’s Mill Elementary remained inside the school for hours after the shooting, while officials continued managing the scene. The school district later said the lockdowns were lifted and students were safe.
The incident underscored the effect that police emergencies outside school property can have on nearby campuses. Gwinnett County Public Schools says a soft lockdown is intended for an outside threat and generally involves securing exterior doors while activity continues inside. Thursday’s response also included moving students away from one campus as the search developed.
Authorities said Wiggins remained in custody and there was no known ongoing threat to the public connected with the incident. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the officer-involved shooting, while Gwinnett County police are handling the investigation into the earlier gunfire. New York authorities are expected to oversee proceedings related to Wiggins’ eventual return in the pending murder case.
Author note: Last updated Sept. 25, 2026.