BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — More reaction continues to pour in after four people were killed and nine were injured in a shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday morning.
According to the GBI, the suspect, identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, is in custody. Gray, has been charged with murder and will be handled as an adult, according to the GBI.
The FBI confirmed Gray, was behind threats to commit a school shooting in May 2023.
According to the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, nine other people were injured by gunshot wounds. At least five others were treated for symptoms of anxiety/panic attacks. An AR Platform Style Weapon was used during the shooting, according to GBI Director Chris Hosey.
A vigil and a night of prayer were held at Bethlehem Church and Jug Tavern Park in Barrow County on Wednesday evening to bring the community together during this tragic time.
During a press conference on Wednesday evening, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, and Hosey thanked everyone who assisted and saved lives. Officials asked for prayers for the Georgia community and for the families and friends of those who died.
Apalachee High School Social Studies teacher Steven Krayen-Buel says he knew one of the teachers who was killed in the shooting on Wednesday.
“I know he was a well respected individual,” said Krayen-Buel. “He meant a lot to this community, a lot to the athletic programs that we have at this institution. He will be sorely missed.”
President Joe Biden released a lengthy statement on Wednesday afternoon calling the shooting a “horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.”
<i>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. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.</i>
<i>We are closely coordinating with officials at the federal, state and local level, and are grateful for the first responders who brought the suspect into custody and prevented further loss of life.</i>
<i>Ending this gun violence epidemic is personal to me. It’s why I signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the most meaningful gun safety bill in decades – and have announced dozens of gun safety executive actions. I also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. We’ve made significant progress, but this crisis requires even more.</i>
<i>After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say ‘enough is enough’ and work with Democrats 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. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.</i>
— — President Joe Biden
As authorities remain in place in Winder, lawmakers and leaders across Georgia shared their support and grief for the victims of the shooting.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens released a statement saying:
<i>“My prayers are with the high school students, staff and families affected by the senseless act of violence in Winder, Georgia. I have been in contact with Chief Schierbaum, and the Atlanta Police Department has been working with the Atlanta Public Schools Police Department to bolster patrols around our schools for the rest of the day out of an abundance of caution. APD has also been on standby in case law enforcement agencies need assistance with this incident. May God comfort the victims and their loved ones in the difficult days ahead.”</i>
— Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens
— Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath also shared words of support, saying she was praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the larger Winder, Ga. community, adding “I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.”
Just south of Barrow County, the Gwinnett County School District said that they were “deeply saddened by the tragic school shooting that took place in Barrow County today. While this incident did not directly involve our district, we understand it may cause concern and anxiety. Please know that we are taking this situation very seriously.”
The district also reminded their community that they were working closely with law enforcement and taking the situation seriously, including increasing patrols around the county’s schools.
“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,” Vice President Kamala Harris said during a campaign rally in New Hampshire. “Our hearts are with all the students, the teachers and their families, of course, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement that were on the scene.”
Former president Donald Trump issued a statement on the deadly shooting on the Truth Social website.
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office also provided the following statement.