2024 Apalachee High School shooting: Difference between revisions

This article documents a recent school shooting. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Feel free to improve this article or discuss changes on the talk page, but please note that updates without valid and reliable references will be removed. (September 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Apalachee High School shooting
People outside the school in the immediate aftermath of the shooting
Location of Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia
Location	Apalachee High School Barrow County, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates	33°56′54″N 83°47′9″W / 33.94833°N 83.78583°W / 33.94833; -83.78583
Date	September 4, 2024 c. 10:20 am – (EDT)
Attack type	School shooting, mass shooting
Weapons	AR-15–style rifle
Deaths	4
Injured	9 (7 by gunfire)
Motive	Under Investigation
Accused	Colt Gray Colin Gray (Colt's father)
Charges	Colt: Felony murder (4 counts) Colin: Second-degree murder (2 counts) Involuntary manslaughter (4 counts) Second-degree cruelty to children (8 counts)

On September 4, 2024, a mass shooting occurred at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, United States. Two students and two teachers were killed, while nine other people were injured.^[1] Georgia State Patrol responded to the scene with a heavy police presence.^[2]

A suspect, 14-year-old Colt Gray, was taken into custody and charged with four counts of felony murder.^[3] His father, Colin Gray, was also charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in relation to the shooting, having bought Gray the gun allegedly used in the shooting.^[4]

The shooting is the deadliest school shooting in the history of Georgia.^[5]

Apalachee High School is a public high school located in Barrow County, Georgia, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Atlanta. It is part of the Barrow County School District and has about 1,900 students.^[6] A week before the shooting, all teachers at the school were issued a form of ID called Centegix, which includes a panic button for any potential active situation in the school. The technology also includes a "dynamic digital mapping with real-time locating capabilities".^[7] Georgia schools are required to complete at least one active shooter drill by October 1, each academic year.^[8]

Before the shooting, a call from an unknown source was placed to Apalachee High School stating that five schools would be targeted and that Apalachee would be the first.^[9]

According to a 14-year-old student, Colt Gray exited his algebra classroom around 9:45 a.m and the door was locked automatically behind him. When Gray knocked on the door, the student went to open it, looked through the glass panel in the door and saw a gun. When asked by the teacher to open the door, the student replied, "No, he has a gun." After being denied reentry into the classroom, the shooter turned and fired 10 to 15 rounds towards a nearby classroom.^[7][10]

One student told reporters that he had heard about 10 shots, not believing the shooting to be real until he heard an officer yelling at someone to put down their gun. Another recounted that after hearing the gunshots, the class barricaded the door with objects before hiding.^[11] One student stated that their teacher attempted to investigate the noises before being directed to lock the door, following reports of an active shooter. Subsequently, they heard someone pounding on the door shouting "Open up!" multiple times before gunshots and screams.^[12]

One of the teachers killed reportedly left his classroom after hearing a commotion and was shot in the chest. The students in his classroom, pulled him back into the classroom and attempted to save his life by using their own shirts to stop the bleeding while others barricaded the door with desks and chairs. One of the wounded students was able to get up and quickly shut his classroom's door, preventing Gray from entering, before he realized he was wounded.^[13][14]

The school was placed in lockdown at around 10:20 a.m.^[15] and law enforcement responded at around 10:23 a.m.^[16] The Georgia Bureau of Investigation director said that the sheriff's office received calls of an active shooter at the school at around 10:20 a.m. local time, with responders arriving within minutes. The school resource officers engaged the suspect within minutes and he surrendered to them.^[17]

Students were evacuated from the building to the school's football field, after it had been deemed safe.^[12] Governor Brian Kemp directed all available state resources to assist at the scene of the shooting.^[2]

Four people were killed: students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both age 14; math teacher Christina Irimie (aged 53); and math teacher and assistant football coach Richard Aspinwall (39).^[18][19] Nine people (one teacher and eight students) were injured in the shooting, including seven who were shot.^[20][21][22] The wounded were treated at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital in Athens and Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.^[1][23] Several patients were admitted with panic attacks.^[6]

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old freshman student at the school, was arrested.^[24][25] He was charged with four counts of felony murder.^[25] Prosecutors plan to try Gray as an adult.^[25] He is accused of using a semiautomatic AR-15 style rifle in the shooting.^[25]

Gray's father Colin Gray, age 54, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. He allegedly purchased the firearm used in the shooting as a Christmas gift for his son.^[26][27]

In May 2023, FBI agents from the Atlanta field office, as well as local officers from Jackson County Sheriff's Office, visited Gray and his family to investigate school shooting threats posted online.^[25] The visit was prompted by anonymous tips received by the FBI's National Threat Operations Center.^[28] When questioned, then-13-year-old Colt Gray denied making the threats; Colin Gray acknowledged that he owned hunting guns but told investigators that his son did not have "unfettered access" to them.^[25][28] In a statement issued after the September 2024 shooting, the FBI said, "At the time, there was no probable cause for an arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state or federal levels.^[28]

The FBI investigation linked a Discord account associated with an email address belonging to Colt Gray. The account's activity was traced to locations in Fort Valley and Statesboro, Georgia, and possibly Buffalo, New York. The Discord username was written in Russian and translated as "Lanza," allegedly referencing Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. However, Colt Gray’s father, Colin Gray, stated that his son does not speak or understand Russian. During questioning in May 2023, both Colt and his father denied any knowledge of the email. Colt also mentioned he had deleted his Discord account months earlier due to hacking concerns. After investigating, local authorities reported that the claim connecting the Discord account to either Colin or Colt Gray could not be substantiated.^[29][30]

The U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland, said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene.^[1] The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Atlanta office confirmed that its agents were on scene.^[1] The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the investigation.^[1]

On September 6, Winder, Georgia hosted a memorial for the victims of the shooting with multiple politicians and about 1,000 people in attendance. Attending were Barrow County Schools Superintendent Dallas LaDuff, Winder Mayor Jimmy Terrrell, US Senator Raphael Warnock and US Representative Mike Collins.^[31] A memorial was created outside the school with students, their parents and members of the community leaving items such as flowers, balloons and notes. While the schools high school football team was schedule to play at another area school on September 6, the game was canceled and a prayer vigil scheduled in its place.^[32]

GoFundMe campaigns were started for the victims of the shootings to help cover costs associated with the shooting.^[33] Other fundraisers and memorial services were set up shortly after the shooting by local organizations and restaurants.^[34]

The White House issued a statement confirming that President Joe Biden was briefed by Liz Sherwood-Randall, the Homeland Security Advisor, on the shooting and that his administration will "continue coordinating with federal, state, and local officials" as they receive more information.^[1] Vice President Kamala Harris thanked first responders and stated that it "doesn't have to be this way".^[35] Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his devastation with regards to the shooting and to anyone affected by it.^[36] White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre commented on the shooting during the afternoon press briefing, discussing the concern for gun control in the form of universal background checks and other programs.^[12]

Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp tweeted his condolences and asked for all Georgians to join in praying for the safety of students in classrooms. Andre Dickens, mayor of Atlanta, offered his thoughts and prayers to those affected as well as support to responding law enforcement.^[12] Georgia U.S. Representative Mike Collins, whose congressional district includes the school, issued a statement offering prayers for the victims and their families.^[36] Collins' response was met with criticism from gun control advocates, with some accusing Collins of endorsing gun violence, referencing a campaign ad in which he claimed Donald Trump had won the 2020 election while holding an assault rifle and firing it.^[37]

Marjorie Taylor Greene, another U.S. Representative from Georgia, also issued a statement on Twitter offering support to the victims and families. Like Collins, Greene had faced criticism for campaign ads involving guns, as well as promoting baseless statements about previous shootings, such as the 2018 Parkland high school shooting, which she falsely claimed was a false flag act to promote anti-gun laws.^[38]

Former President Donald Trump expressed his condolences via a post on Truth Social. He stated, "Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster."^[39] Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance said that school shootings are an unfortunate "fact of life", that schools are soft targets, and that better security, but no gun control, is needed.^[40]

• List of mass shootings in the United States in 2024
• List of school shootings in the United States (2000–present)