Georgia School Shooting, A 14-year-old boy is set to be charged with murder after a tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Barrow County, Georgia, left four people dead and nine others injured. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that two students and two teachers were killed in the attack, which took place on Wednesday.
The suspect, identified as Colt Gray, a student at the school, was apprehended by two officers on campus. He will be tried as an adult. It has come to light that the FBI had interviewed Colt last year after receiving anonymous tips about online threats of a potential school shooting, but no arrest was made at the time.
Details of the Incident at Georgia School Shooting
Law enforcement received reports of the shooting at around 10:20 AM local time. The high school, with approximately 1,900 students, was quickly placed on lockdown. Local sheriff Jud Smith described the attack as “pure evil” in a press conference. Officers, along with two school resource officers, responded swiftly and arrested the suspect, who surrendered without resistance.
Although no motive has been identified, officials are continuing their investigation to determine the attacker’s intentions. Authorities are also unsure if there were specific targets involved.
FBI’s Prior Investigation
In May 2023, the FBI interviewed Colt Gray and his father about online threats involving guns. Colt denied making the threats, and his father assured investigators that although there were hunting guns in the home, Colt did not have unsupervised access to them. The FBI alerted local schools to monitor him, but no further action was taken due to a lack of probable cause.
Victims and Casualties
Among the victims was 14-year-old student Mason Schermerhorn, who was autistic. His family had posted photos of him on social media when they couldn’t locate him, and later confirmed he had died in the shooting.
Teacher and coach David Phenix was injured, suffering gunshot wounds to his foot and hip. He underwent surgery and is currently in stable condition, according to social media posts from his family.
Authorities have not released specific details regarding the weapon used or the number of bullets fired during the attack.
Eyewitness Accounts
Several students shared their harrowing experiences. One student, Lyela Sayarath, recalled that the suspect left their algebra class before the attack and later returned, knocking on the door. After noticing he had a gun, a classmate refused to let him in. The attacker then went next door and began shooting.
Another student, 14-year-old Marques Coleman, reported seeing the attacker with a “big gun” before he started shooting. Coleman recounted seeing classmates wounded, including one friend who was shot in the stomach.
Responses from Leaders
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his prayers for the victims and their families, while pledging state resources to assist in the investigation. Speaking at a campaign rally, Vice-President Kamala Harris called the shooting a “senseless tragedy” and criticized the frequency of school shootings in the U.S. Former President Donald Trump also condemned the act on his social media platform, Truth Social, describing the attacker as a “sick and deranged monster.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed that federal agents are assisting local authorities in the investigation, which is expected to take several days as law enforcement seeks answers.
The community is now grappling with the aftermath of this devastating event, as families and officials search for clarity and justice.
