A devastating school shooting in Winder, Georgia, took the lives of four people and nine injured. The 14-year-old suspect, who lived with his dad and two younger siblings, is in custody.
Key Takeaways
- On September 4, 2024, two 14-year-old students and two teachers were k*lled in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
- The gun used in Wednesday’s shooting was an AR-15 platform weapon.
- Parents were reunited with the kids after the shooting.
The community of Winder, Georgia, is in shock and mourning following the tragic events at Apalachee High School on September 4th.
Fourteen-year-old Colt Gray, who is now in custody, allegedly used an AR-15 style rifle to carry out a shooting that resulted in the loss of two teachers and students.
The victims of the shooting have been identified as Mason Schermerhorn, 14; Christian Angulo, 14; Richard Aspinwall, 39; and Christina Irimie, 53.
According to the school’s website, both Aspinwall and Irimie taught math. Aspinwall was also the football team’s defensive coordinator.
At least nine other individuals were also hospitalized due to the shooting.
Colt Gray was suspected of making threats to shoot up schools more than a year ago. FBI says it sent Jackson County deputies to his house but the then-13-year-old denied making the threats. Dad said son didn’t have unsupervised access to his hunting rifles.@ATLNewsFirst pic.twitter.com/Wp1RCAfvoe
— Brendan Keefe – Atlanta News First (@BrendanKeefe) September 5, 2024
It has been revealed that Gray was previously questioned by law enforcement following several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting.
These threats, which included photos of guns, prompted an investigation involving the FBI Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
At the time, the county sheriff’s office interviewed the suspect and his father. The statement read,
“stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them,”
via BBC
Despite this, there was no probable cause for an arrest or further law enforcement action.
Furthermore, it has been revealed that Gray denied making the threats online during the previous investigation.
His motivations for the attack remain unclear, as there seems to be no previous connection between him and the victims.
In this situation, Annie Polhamus Brown, the aunt of the suspect Gray, was observed defending her cousin and expressing her support in her Facebook posts.
Per my facebook research, Colt Gray’s aunt posted this on facebook.#ApalacheeHighScool pic.twitter.com/5xlrui7ik2
— samantha (@drakeismyzaddy) September 5, 2024
The aftermath of the incident saw parents recounting the terrifying moments when they received messages from their children about an active shooter at the school. One mother shared her relief and said,
“When I saw my son, I gave him a big hug because that could have been my son that could have lost his life today,”
Via BBC
As the investigation unfolds, the community is left grappling with the devastating impact of this senseless act of violence.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Colt Gray lived with his dad and two younger siblings.
- Gray was known for his quiet nature and frequent absences.
- Colt Gray’s home is about 6 miles from Apalachee High School.
