A 14-year-old boy tragically killed two students and two teachers and injured nine others in a shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday, marking the first mass campus shooting of the new school year in the United States.
Authorities apprehended the suspect, who had been questioned by law enforcement last year for making online threats about a school shooting, shortly after the incident at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
The shooter, identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, will face charges as an adult, Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, announced during a press conference.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith described the scene, stating that the gunman, armed with a semiautomatic rifle, was swiftly confronted by deputies stationed at the school. The gunman then surrendered without incident.
Following his arrest, the suspect cooperated with law enforcement, who indicated that he acted alone, though they did not disclose a possible motive for the shooting.
The victims were identified as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Smith announced to the press that all hospitalized victims are expected to make a full recovery.
Sheriff Smith characterized the day’s events as acts of “pure evil.”
The FBI released a statement indicating that it had investigated threats made online about a school shooting last year involving a 13-year-old in nearby Jackson County, which may have been linked to the current suspect.
Despite the discovery of hunting guns in the home, the teen had no unsupervised access to them and denied making threats, according to the FBI. Jackson County had previously alerted local schools to keep the suspect under surveillance.
The tragedy reignited the national debate over gun control and prompted widespread mourning, a recurring response in America to such frequent tragedies.
Residents of Winder, a small city northeast of Atlanta, gathered for a prayer vigil Wednesday evening to mourn and reflect.
Attendees supported each other in grief, some bowing their heads in prayer while others lit candles in memory of those lost.
City councilman Power Evans spoke at the vigil, emphasizing community unity and support in times of tragedy, affirming, “We’re all family. We’re all neighbors.”
President Joe Biden, informed of the shooting, reiterated the need for bipartisan cooperation on gun safety legislation, expressing deep sorrow for the lives lost and altered by the shooting.
Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at a campaign event, labeled the shooting a senseless tragedy and stressed the urgent need to address the nation’s gun violence epidemic.
Former President Donald Trump expressed condolences via social media, referring to the victims as cherished children lost to a monstrous act.
In response to questions about preventive measures against such shootings, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp emphasized that the day’s focus should be on mourning the victims rather than engaging in political debate.
David Riedman, head of the K-12 School Shooting Database, labeled the incident as the first “planned attack” at a school this fall, highlighting the broader context of school violence and debates over gun laws in the United States.
