Georgia school shooting: Four dead, 14-year-old suspect in custody
Illustrative photo: Shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, resulted in 4 deaths (Getty Images)
On Wednesday, September 4, Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, unleashed a deadly rampage at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, killing four people and injuring at least nine others, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Authorities confirmed the deaths of two students and two teachers. Another, eight students and one teacher were wounded and taken to local hospitals.
According to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey, two school resource officers confronted the shooter, who surrendered without resistance. He added that the shooter used an AR-15-style rifle. Law enforcement agents are still investigating how the suspect obtained the weapon and other details about the ammunition used.
In 2023, the FBI investigated the suspects' threats to commit an unspecified school shooting but did not find sufficient grounds for further action.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith addressed the press, recalling the ongoing debate over gun control in the US, while school shootings have tragically become all too familiar.
All Barrow County schools will remain closed for the week. Grief counseling services have been arranged for students and families.
The President of the US Joe Biden issued a statement, saying: “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."
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris also expressed condolences and called for action in response to the shooting. "It’s senseless. We’ve got to stop it, and we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. You know, it doesn’t have to be this way," she said.
At the same time, Harris's contender in the presidential run Donald Trump made a post on his Truth Social account, where he called the shooter a “sick and deranged monster”, adding: “Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA.”
Mass shootings in the US
This case of mass shootings in public places is one of the many that happened in the US. For example, this January a student at Perry High School in Iowa shot a sixth grader and injured four other students and a school administrator before killing himself.
Last year, a shooting incident happened on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, resulting in 3 dead, with one sustaining injuries. The suspect was killed in a shootout with police detectives.
Earlier, an unknown individual carried out a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. At least 22 people were killed, and between 50 to 60 individuals were injured.
