A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and will face murder charges after a devastating shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, left four people dead and nine others injured. The attack, which took place on Wednesday, claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The suspect, Colt Gray, a student at the school, was apprehended by two officers on the campus shortly after the shooting. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith described the attack as “pure evil” during a press conference.
Law enforcement received reports of a shooting at the school, which has around 1,900 students, at approximately 10:20 AM local time. Officers, including two school resource officers, were on the scene within minutes, where they encountered and arrested the suspect without resistance.
“The subject immediately surrendered, got on the ground, and was taken into custody,” Sheriff Smith confirmed.
Authorities have yet to identify a motive for the attack, and as of now, there is no evidence that specific individuals were targeted.
Among the victims was 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn, who was autistic. His family had posted a plea for information on social media after they were unable to locate him, later confirming he did not survive the attack.
Teacher and coach David Phenix was also injured in the shooting, suffering severe injuries to his foot and hip. Phenix underwent surgery and is reported to be in stable condition, according to his family’s social media updates.
The type of weapon used and the number of bullets fired have not yet been disclosed by law enforcement. The suspect has been interviewed by investigators, but authorities have said it will take several days to fully understand the events that led to this tragedy.
Students and teachers inside the school recounted the horrifying moments during the attack. Lyela Sayarath, a student in the alleged shooter’s class, recalled the suspect leaving the classroom during an algebra lesson, only to return with a gun. Another student refused to let him back in after noticing the weapon, at which point the shooter moved to a neighbouring classroom and began firing.
“I can still picture everything—the blood, the shouting,” said Alexsandra Romero, a second-year student, describing the chaotic scene as students scrambled for safety.
One student, Marques Coleman, reported seeing the shooter with a “big gun” just before the violence erupted. “I started running, and he started shooting,” Coleman said, recounting how a classmate was severely injured, and others were hit during the chaos.
The shooting has sparked widespread grief and renewed calls for action to address the ongoing issue of gun violence in American schools. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his condolences on social media, stating he was “praying for the safety of those in our classrooms” and offering state resources to aid in the response.
At a campaign rally in New Hampshire, Vice President Kamala Harris called the shooting “a senseless tragedy,” noting that it’s outrageous for parents to worry every day whether their children will return home safely from school.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump echoed the sentiment, condemning the shooter as a “sick and deranged monster” in a post on Truth Social.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that federal agents are assisting local law enforcement in the investigation as the nation mourns yet another heartbreaking school shooting.
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