A 14-year-old boy is set to face murder charges following a tragic incident at a Georgia high school where four individuals lost their lives and nine others sustained injuries in a shooting incident, as per reported by BBC.
Tragedy struck Apalachee High School in Winder, Barrow County, when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that two students and two teachers lost their lives in the devastating incident that took place on Wednesday.
Colt Gray, a student at the school, got arrested by two officers on campus, according to an official. The authorities have decided to try him as an adult.
Last year, the FBI interviewed him after receiving anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting. However, they did not arrest him at that time.
Reports of a shooting at the school, which has a student population of around 1,900, were first received by officers at approximately 10:20 local time (14:20 GMT).
Sheriff Jud Smith characterized the attack as an act of pure evil.
Law enforcement arrived at the scene within minutes, along with two school resource officers who were assigned to the school. According to the sheriff, these officers quickly encountered the subject involved in the incident during the news conference.
“The subject quickly surrendered and willingly complied with the officers’ instructions to get on the ground. Without any resistance, he was then taken into custody by the officers.”
Law enforcement officials have stated that they have not yet identified a motive for the incident. They also mentioned that there are no known targets at this time.
In May 2023, the FBI visited the suspect and his father for an interview regarding threats posted online, which included images of firearms, as reported by the FBI.
According to a statement from the FBI, the father confirmed the presence of hunting guns in the house. However, it was clarified that the individual in question did not have unsupervised access to these firearms.
At the time, the suspect, who was only 13 years old, denied having made the online threats. Local officials were quick to respond and alerted nearby schools to keep a close eye on the subject.
“There was no probable cause to arrest or take any further law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels at that time.”
According to local outlet WSB-TV, one of the individuals who lost their life on Wednesday was 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn, who had autism.
After they were unable to locate Mason, his family members took to social media and shared his photo. Tragically, they later verified that he had not survived the shooting.
According to social media posts from his family, David Phenix, a teacher and coach, sustained injuries after being shot in the foot and hip, resulting in a shattered hip bone.
According to a Facebook post by someone identifying herself as his daughter, he underwent surgery and is currently in a stable condition.
Law enforcement authorities have not disclosed the type of weapon that was used or the number of bullets that were fired.
Sheriff Smith stated that the suspect was interviewed and spoke with investigators after being taken into custody.
“He told reporters that it would take several days for us to get answers about what happened and why it happened.”
A large number of police officers quickly responded to the shooting incident at the school. The school was immediately placed on lockdown and thoroughly searched. The students were evacuated and temporarily relocated to a nearby football stadium until they could be safely reunited with their families.
According to Lyela Sayarath, a student who was in the same class as the alleged attacker, the suspect exited the room at the start of their algebra lesson (CNN).
According to her account, he returned and knocked on the door, which had locked automatically. However, when another student saw that he was carrying a gun, they refused to let him inside.
According to Ms. Sayarath, the assailant proceeded to the adjacent classroom and initiated gunfire.
Alexsandra Romero, a second-year student, recalls being in class when suddenly, a person burst into the room and shouted at everyone, instructing them to take cover.
“I can still vividly recall how my hands were trembling,” she shared with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was a heartbreaking scene, with tears streaming down everyone’s faces as they desperately searched for their siblings.”
“I still have vivid memories of everything, including the sight of blood and the sound of people shouting.”
Fourteen-year-old Marques Coleman recounted his terrifying encounter as he witnessed the attacker brandishing a “big gun” moments before the shooting ensued.
In an interview with CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, the witness recounted the terrifying moment: “I woke up, and immediately started running. He fired his gun multiple times, at least ten shots.”
As he recounted the terrifying experience, he mentioned, “My teacher took immediate action by using desks to barricade the door.”
Upon rising to his feet, the student recounted witnessing a distressing scene. He described seeing “one of my classmates on the ground bleeding so bad”, a girl shot in the leg, and another friend injured in the stomach.
In a recent tweet, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his concern for the well-being of individuals in our classrooms, stating that he is keeping them in his thoughts and prayers. He also announced that he is taking immediate action by mobilizing all possible state resources to provide assistance.
During a campaign rally in New Hampshire, Vice-President Kamala Harris, a Democratic White House candidate, expressed her views on the shooting, describing it as a “senseless tragedy”.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that parents in our country have to experience the fear of sending their children to school, not knowing if they will come back home alive.”
“It doesn’t have to be like this.”
Donald Trump, a Republican White House candidate, expressed his condolences on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating, “These beloved children were tragically taken from us by a disturbed and deranged individual.”
Federal agents are assisting with the investigation, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the United States.
