Who is Antonio Bailey? Georgia teacher, 23, arrested for starting fire and firing gun in school
DECATUR, GEORGIA: A 23-year-old teacher from Chapel Hill Middle School in Decatur, Georgia has been arrested after he allegedly started a fire and opened fire inside the school. The incident took place on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at nighttime. Antonio Bailey, a language arts teacher from the school, has been arrested for orchestrating and executing the crime, though his motive behind the same is yet to be revealed.
Such incidents of teachers committing arson in school are rarely reported. However, there had been past instances of teachers threatening to shoot students in school or the public. In July 2021, 52-year-old Alejandro Rocha, a teacher from Walter Crowley School in New York, was arrested after he threatened to "shoot" his class. He reportedly gave the threat to teenage students in his art class, if they did not do as they were told. Another teacher from Las Vegas, Leslie McGourty, was arrested after she threatened to shoot and "poke a lot of holes" in people attending a concert. She apparently wanted to start a movement of women empowerment where women felt motivated to become serial killers.
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Who is Antonio Bailey?
In the case of Antonio Bailey, the young teacher was apparently placed on administrative leave, just the day before he committed arson in the school. On the night of August 5, a neighbor informed the police after they heard four to five gunshots coming from the school offices. Though there were no reports of injuries, it was found later that Bailey also attempted to set fire to the school's main office before firing the gun.
A criminal probe conducted by the Dekalb County School District police revealed, "...evidence to secure a criminal arrest warrant for Mr. Antonio Bailey for the charges of Arson in the first degree, Criminal Damage to Property in the second degree, and Possession of a firearm during a commission of a felony." It is believed that Bailey lashed out at the school after a disciplinarian action was initiated against him, though the school district spokesperson has declined to comment on the same.
Bailey, a resident of Snellville, was placed in police custody on Friday, August 6. According to jail records, he was released on bond around 9 pm the same day.