Meet Marcellus Brooks, a 17-year-old Therrell High School student, who was arrested and accused of shooting five people near the southwest Atlanta school yesterday (May 13, 2014).

Brooks was already out on bond for robbery when he was allegedly involved in the shooting incident.

Details below…

According to Fulton County Superior Court records obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Marcellus Brooks pleaded not guilty less than a week ago to a felony robbery charge,

Brooks was arrested last month by MARTA police in connection with a March 29 incident, and released after 15 days in jail on $8,000 bond, according to jail records.

Court records show he was awaiting an August trial for that charge Tuesday when police arrested and charged him with five counts of aggravated assault for the alleged gun attack near the school.

Due to the shootings, a new normal greeted students at Therrell High this morning.

Atlanta Public Schools and the Atlanta Police Department provided extra campus security, and students were not allowed to bring backpacks.

“As a safety precaution,” APS spokeswoman Kimberly Willis Green said, “… students will not be permitted to carry book bags or backpacks for the remainder of the school year.”

Parents in the southwest area neighborhood are apparently taking safety precautions as well.  Atlanta Public Schools Associate Superintendent Steve Smith said Wednesday’s attendance was down by about 100 students at the 800-student school.

VIDEO: News Coverage of Therrell High School Schooting

He reported that all the people shot received non-life threatening injuries, however an updated AJC report states that one of the four people hospitalized after being shot near Therrell High School Tuesday is now in critical condition. One patient will be discharged at some time today and the other two will be hospitalized at least through Thursday, Simpson said. The fifth person shot was treated and released Tuesday.

Investigators have not determined why Brooks allegedly shot the five near Therrell High around 4 p.m. Tuesday, Officer John Chafee with Atlanta police said.

“At this moment the motive has not been established,” he said in an emailed statement. “Investigators are following up on information and we are progressing the investigation.”

The shooting occurred in the area of Panther Trail and Childress Drive, Chafee said.

Police declined to release the names of those shot. But Shavien Dennis told reporters outside Grady that her 17-year-old daughter, Tekevious Redding, was shot and still has a bullet lodged in her leg.

“She tried to run and realized she wasn’t running anymore,” Dennis said. “She was on the ground and she said blood was everywhere.”

Redding, a senior at Therrell and the mother of a baby, had just left campus on her final day of school before graduation rehearsals, Dennis said.

Although the shootings did not happen on campus, Therrell High School was placed on lockdown for students participating in after-school activities.

Meanwhile, Brooks is being held without bond. He is being held at the Fulton County jail on five counts of aggravated assault. His next court appearance is scheduled for a 9:30 a.m., preliminary hearing May 28.

It’s a very sad situation but is ‘banning’ backpacks really the solution?