Four people, two teachers and two students, were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Nine others were taken to area hospitals with various injuries, GBI director Chris Hosey said.
Authorities said they were first alerted to a possible shooting at the high school, which is about 50 miles east of Atlanta, around 10:20 a.m.
Law enforcement, including two resource officers, were reportedly on the scene within minutes. At least one of the resource officers "engaged" the shooter, who subsequently surrendered, authorities said.
The shooter was identified as a 14-year-old student at the school. He will be charged as an adult with murder, authorities said.
On Thursday, authorities in Georgia arrested 54-year-old Colin Gray, the father of the suspected shooter. He is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
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At a press conference Wednesday night, authorities in Georgia said the gun used was an "AR platform-style weapon."
Authorities said there was no evidence of additional shooters or of other schools being targeted. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it would continue to conduct a criminal investigation into the incident and into whether there were any outstanding threats to other schools.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says two students were killed: 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn and 14-year-old Christian Angulo. Two teachers were also killed: 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old Christina Irimie.
All of those who had been hospitalized as a result of the shooting were expected to recover, officials said.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said this incident hits close to home for him.
"I was born and raised here. I went to school in the school system. My kids go to this school system. I'm proud of this school system," he said. "My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community. But I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today."
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The FBI said Wednesday it had received anonymous tips in 2023 about a possible school shooting. It said it traced the postings to Georgia and warned the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
"At the time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state or federal levels," the FBI wrote.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he has directed all available state resources to respond to the shooting.
"We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation," Kemp said in a social media post.
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Rep. Mike Collins, who represents the area, reacted in a social media post on X to the shooting.
"We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody," he said. "I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary."
In a statement, President Joe Biden also offered his support and said he is thinking about the victims.
He went on to call for Republicans in Congress to pass "common-sense gun safety legislation."
"We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers," the president said.
Vice President Kamala Harris echoed Biden's sentiments during a campaign speech.
"This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, and it's just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive," she said.
Former President Donald Trump did not get into a policy discussion immediately after the shooting. Instead, he simply offered his condolences.
"Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA," Trump posted on Truth Social. "These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster."
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
