Georgia High School Student, 14, Kills 4 and Wounds 9 in Campus Shooting – By Reuters

By Rich McKay and Andrew Hay

ATLANTA – A tragic shooting at a Georgia high school claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while injuring nine others, marking the first mass shooting on a campus since the school year began. The incident occurred on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.

The shooter, identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, had previously been interviewed by law enforcement last year regarding online threats about carrying out a school shooting. He was taken into custody shortly after the attack.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith reported that the armed suspect was quickly confronted by deputies stationed at the school. Gray surrendered without resistance. After his arrest, investigators engaged him in conversation, believing he acted alone, but they did not disclose his motives.

Authorities confirmed the victims included two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, along with teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Sheriff Smith noted that all nine injured individuals were expected to recover.

“Pure evil did what happened today,” Smith stated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later announced that it had looked into online threats related to school shootings earlier in the year. This inquiry involved a 13-year-old boy in nearby Jackson County, who was interviewed along with his father. Although the father mentioned possessing hunting guns, he asserted that the boy did not have unsupervised access to them. The boy denied making any threats online. Jackson County authorities had alerted local schools for continued monitoring but determined there was no cause for an arrest.

The shooting reignited a national debate over gun control and provoked a wave of grief in a country that frequently experiences such tragedies. In Winder, a community of approximately 18,000 residents located about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, locals gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims.

Some participants leaned on one another or bowed their heads in prayer, lighting candles in honor of the deceased. "We are all hurting. Because when something affects one of us it affects us all," said city councilman Power Evans, addressing the crowd. "I know that tonight, we will come together. We’re going to support one another. … We are all family."

President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident, and the White House indicated his administration would collaborate with federal, state, and local agencies as more details emerged. “Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed,” Biden commented, urging bipartisan support for “common-sense gun safety legislation.”

Vice President Kamala Harris referred to the shooting as a "senseless tragedy" and called for an end to what she termed an epidemic of gun violence during a campaign event.

Former President Donald Trump expressed his condolences on social media, stating, “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.”

In response to questions about preventing future shootings, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp emphasized the importance of mourning the victims rather than engaging in political discussions.

According to David Riedman, who manages a database tracking school shootings, this incident marked the first planned attack at a school this fall. Apalachee High School reopened last month, with many U.S. students returning to school this week.

The United States has experienced numerous shootings in schools and colleges over the past two decades, with the deadliest occurring at Virginia Tech in 2007, resulting in over 30 fatalities. These incidents have intensified the ongoing debate over gun laws and the Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms.