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2024 Apalachee High School shooting

Coordinates: 33°56′54″N 83°47′9″W / 33.94833°N 83.78583°W / 33.94833; -83.78583
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Apalachee High School shooting
People outside the building in the immediate aftermath of the shooting
Map
Location of Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia
LocationApalachee High School
Barrow County, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates33°56′54″N 83°47′9″W / 33.94833°N 83.78583°W / 33.94833; -83.78583
DateSeptember 4, 2024
c. 10:20 am – (EDT)
Attack type
School shooting, mass shooting
WeaponsAR-15–style rifle
Deaths4
Injured9

On September 4, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT), a mass shooting occurred at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, United States.[1]

Two students and two teachers were killed, while nine other people were injured.[2] Georgia State Patrol responded to the scene with a heavy police presence.[3]

Background

Main article: Apalachee High School

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 enrolled students.[4]

Shooting

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.[5]

The school was placed in lockdown at around 10:20 am[6] and law enforcement responded at around 10:23 am.[7] 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 am local time, with responders arriving within minutes. The school resource officers engaged the suspect within minutes and he surrendered to them.[8]

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.[9] One student said their teacher attempted to investigate the noises before being directed to lock the door due to an active shooter. Then they heard someone pounding on the door shouting "open up!" multiple times before gunshots and screams.[10]

Students were evacuated from the building to the school's football field, after it had been deemed safe.[10] Governor Brian Kemp directed all available state resources to assist at the scene of the shooting.[3]

Victims

Four people were killed and nine others injured.[10][7] The wounded were treated at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital in Athens and Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.[2][11] Several patients were admitted with panic attacks.[4]

The deceased victims were identified as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, teacher Christina Irimie, and teacher and coach Richard Aspinwall.[12] Two other teachers were wounded in the shooting.[13][14]

Suspect

The suspect was not initially named by law enforcement, but was described as being a 14-year-old boy[11] who was taken into custody.[6] Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey later identified the suspect as 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at the school,[15][16] adding that the suspect would be charged with murder and tried as an adult.[17] The suspect reportedly used an AR-15 style rifle in the school shooting.[18]

Reporting revealed that in May 2023, local law enforcement, in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, had visited Gray and his family to investigate school shooting threats posted online. The agencies confirmed that the subject of that investigation was a then 13-year old Gray, but probable cause for an arrest did not exist.[19][20]

Investigation

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.[2] The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Atlanta office confirmed that its agents were on scene.[2] The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the investigation.[2]

Response

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.[2] Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his devastation in regards to the shooting and to anyone affected by it.[21] 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.[10] Vice President Kamala Harris thanked first responders and stated that it "doesn't have to be this way."[22]

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp tweeted his condolences and asked for all Georgians to join in praying for the safety of students in classrooms. Georgia Representative Mike Collins, whose congressional district includes the school, issued a statement offering prayers for the victims and their families.[21] The mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens offered his thoughts and prayers to those affected as well as support to responding law enforcement.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Heavy police presence at Georgia high school after reports of gunfire". wisn.com. WISN. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Chowdhury, Maureen; Hammond, Elise; Powell, Tori (September 4, 2024). "Live updates: Apalachee High School shooting". CNN. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Valencia, Nick; Nottingham, Shawn; Andone, Dakin; Boyette, Chris (September 4, 2024). "Casualties reported in shooting at Georgia high school, sheriff says. A suspect is in custody". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Czachor, Emily Mae (September 4, 2024). "4 dead, 9 hospitalized after shooting at high school in Georgia; suspect in custody". CBS News. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Hammond, Elise (September 4, 2024). "At least 4 killed in Georgia high school shooting". CNN.
  6. ^ a b Fishman, Taylor (September 4, 2024). "4 dead, 30 injured in Georgia high school shooting, suspect in custody: Sources". WJLA. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Lim, Clarissa-Jan (September 4, 2024). "At least 4 dead in Georgia high school shooting, suspect in custody". MSNBC.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  8. ^ Luscombe, Richard (September 4, 2024). "Georgia high school shooting leaves four people confirmed dead and nine injured". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Amy, Jeff (September 4, 2024). "4 dead, at least 9 injured in shooting at high school near Atlanta, authorities say". AP News. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e Luscombe, Richard (September 4, 2024). "Georgia high school shooting leaves four people confirmed dead and nine injured". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Rosales, John Miller, Nick Valencia, Shawn Nottingham, Dakin Andone, Isabel (September 4, 2024). "Gunman believed to be a 14-year-old in Georgia school shooting that left at least 4 dead, source says". CNN. Retrieved September 4, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Lyden, Meleah (September 4, 2024). "Victims in Apalachee High School shooting identified - What we know". 11Alive.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  13. ^ "GEORGIA SCHOOL SHOOTING: What we know about the victims". WSB-TV Atlanta. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "Victims in Apalachee High School shooting identified". Channel2Now. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Czachor, Emily Mae (September 4, 2024). "4 dead, 9 hospitalized after shooting at high school in Georgia; 14-year-old suspect in custody". CBS News. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  16. ^ Powell, Tori B (September 4, 2024). "Live updates: Apalachee High School shooting leaves at least 4 dead". CNN. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Chappell, Bill (September 4, 2024). "4 people are killed, 9 injured in a shooting at a Georgia high school". NPR. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  18. ^ "Georgia school shooting suspect accused of killing 4 with AR-style rifle". The Washington Post. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  19. ^ "LIVE UPDATES: Apalachee High School suspect also made school shooting threats last year, FBI says". WSB-TV Atlanta. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  20. ^ "Georgia school shooting latest: FBI reveals suspect Colt Gray, 14, was quizzed in 2023 over online threats". independent.
  21. ^ a b Fortinsky, Sarah (September 4, 2024). "Four dead in Georgia high school shooting". The Hill. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  22. ^ "Georgia school shooting live updates: Four killed at Apalachee High School, suspect in custody". NBC News. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
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