What we know so far
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- The 14-year-old student accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School was investigated last year for threatening to carry out a school shooting, federal authorities said. The teen allegedly made the threats online and included photos of guns, according to officials.
- Two teachers and two students were killed and nine were injured yesterday in Winder, Georgia.
- The teenage suspect, Colt Gray, surrendered immediately and will be charged as an adult, law enforcement officials said.
- The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified those killed as Mason Schermerhorn, 14; Christian Angulo, 14; Christina Irimie, 53; and Richard Aspinwall, 39.
- The nine wounded victims are expected to recover, officials said. The school's golf coach was among them, his daughter posted on social media.
'You’re basically never safe anywhere': Student recalls hearing gunfire and hiding in corner of room
Ariel Bowling, a sophomore at Apalachee, was walking to a vending machine with a friend when she heard gunfire erupt yesterday.
"We had gotten like halfway out of the room and there’s a brick wall so you can’t really see who’s out in the hall. And then we heard shots fired and we ran back into the room and we all just piled on top of each other in the corner,” she said on NBC's "TODAY" show Thursday morning.
Her mother, Tabitha, recalled receiving a call from her daughter — then hearing five gunshots ring out.
“Then the phone went dead so I didn’t know if she was hurt and she was calling 911," the mother said.
Bowling said the shooting was "just a really traumatic experience," especially as it unfolded in a space meant to protect and embrace children.
“I just feel like you’re basically never safe anywhere and no matter if there’s cops in the school, there’s still no safety at all,” Bowling said.
'Truly heartbroken': Fundraising page for Christian Angulo’s family collects $33,000 in donations
A GoFundMe page for Christian Angulo, 14, one of the four people shot dead in Georgia on yesterday, has already raised more than $33,000 in donations.
The page, set up by Angulo's older sister, Lisette, has attracted more than 900 donations, with some donors offering $1,000 to help with funeral expenses.
"Unfortunately my baby brother was one of the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School," she writes in a message on the page.
"He was only 14 years old. He was a very good kid and very sweet and so caring. He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected. We are truly heartbroken. He really didn’t deserve this," she said.
ID alarm button helped notify of problem at school
Authorities were notified of a problem at Apalachee High School after a security button carried by teachers was pressed, the Barrow County sheriff said.
The technology is new, Sheriff Jud Smith said at a news conference.
The system “alarms us and alerts the law enforcement office after buttons are pressed on an ID, and it alerts us to that there is an active situation at the school for whatever reason, and that was pressed,” Smith said. “And we’ve had that for about a week now.”
Investigators working on timeline of suspected shooter's actions
GBI Director Chris Hosey said that investigators were trying to clarify a timeline of the suspected shooter’s actions before the deadly gunfire at Apalachee High School.
Also under investigation is how the 14-year-old suspect got into the school, Hosey said in response to questions at a news conference tonight.
“We’re still investigating that aspect of it,” Hosey said.
“We’re still trying to clarify a lot of the timeline from the time that he got here to school today until the incident took place,” he said when asked about the suspect’s movements prior to the shooting.
Georgia’s U.S. senators condemn shooting, offer condolences
Georgia’s two U.S. senators today expressed shock and sadness about the deadly high school shooting at Apalachee High School, and said their condolences were with the families of the victims and others affected.
“Today’s horrific attack at Apalachee High School is a despicable act of violence unimaginable for any parent,” Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, said in a statement.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, also a Democrat, said that his heart breaks for the families of the victims and every student at the school.
“The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we can’t pray only with our lips—we must pray by taking action,” Warnock wrote on X.
“Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, commonsense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is it’s only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door,” he added.
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, a Republican whose district includes Barrow County, said that he and his wife “ are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County.” He also pledged any assistance needed.
Victims were two 14-year-old boys and two math teachers
The two students killed in today’s shooting at Apalachee High School were both 14, the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.
The children killed were Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.
The teachers killed were Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, the GBI said.
The school's website says the teachers taught math. Aspinwall is also listed as a defensive coordinator for the football team.
Investigators looking at previous contacts with family services
GBI Director Chris Hosey said that investigators are aware of possible contact between the suspect and the state's family and children’s services, but don’t know if that played any role in today’s high school shooting.
“We’re also aware of some previous contacts that the Department of Family and Children Services in the area had had with the suspect and his family,” Hosey said. “We are pursuing that avenue as well, too.”
He was not more specific about those contacts.
“Let me stress again, as we have many times, that this is still a very fluid investigation. It is still very active,” Hosey said.
Gov. Kemp says shooting is ‘everybody’s worst nightmare’
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said that today’s shooting at Apalachee High School is “everybody’s worst nightmare” and pledged that the state will use every resource to support the community.
“This is everybody’s worst nightmare,” Kemp said at a news conference tonight. “And I just want to offer my sincere condolences and our thoughts and prayers to the families that have lost loved ones, for those that are injured continuing to fight through just a tragic time.”
In addition to two students and two teachers who were killed, eight students and one teacher were injured and are in the hospital. They are all expected to recover, the sheriff said.
Kemp asked all Georgians and Americans to keep the families, educators and students in their prayers.
All injured victims expected to survive
Everyone injured and at hospitals after today’s high school shooting is expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.
“All of our victims that are at the hospital are going to make it and going to recover well, as we’ve been told, and we don’t expect any more fatalities at this time," Smith said at a news conference tonight.
Shooter used AR-style weapon
The 14-year-old suspect in today’s deadly shooting at Apalachee High School used an “AR platform-style weapon,” the director of the GBI said.
The exact model of gun was not specified at tonight's news conference.
GBI Director Chris Hosey said that the investigation is still very fluid and active.
