A 14-year-old teenager has been identified as the alleged attacker in the Apalachee High School shooting in Winder, Georgia, which occurred on Wednesday. The young suspect is named Colt Gray.
"He will be charged with murder and tried as an adult," said Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, in an interview with CNN.
Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, told CNN that she shared classes with the alleged shooter. She mentioned that he left the classroom at the beginning of their Algebra 1 class. Upon returning near the end of the class, he knocked on the door to re-enter. However, another student noticed that he was carrying a weapon when they went to open the door, so they did not let him in.
It was then that he went to the neighboring classroom and opened fire with an AR-15 style rifle, killing two teachers and two students.
The victims have been identified as Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, both math teachers; and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14 years old.
The hospitalized victims are expected "to make a full recovery," said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith during a press conference on Wednesday night.
The investigation into this tragic event is still ongoing. Hosey noted, "We are still trying to clarify much of the timeline from the moment he arrived at school today until the incident."
However, in a joint statement from the FBI Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, authorities admitted that the alleged shooter was questioned last year in connection with "multiple anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unspecified time and place," but they did not have enough evidence for an arrest at that time, they added.
The teenager's father claimed to have hunting weapons and stated that his son did not have access to them.
"Jackson County alerted local schools to continue monitoring the situation," they noted.
"Students across the country are learning to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal," said U.S. President Joe Biden on X regarding this tragic event.
Details Surrounding the Apalachee High School Shooting
In light of the recent school shooting at Apalachee High School, we have compiled some frequently asked questions to help provide clarity on this tragic event.
Who is the suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting?
The suspect is Colt Gray, a 14-year-old teenager.
What charges is Colt Gray facing?
Colt Gray will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.
Who were the victims of the Apalachee High School shooting?
The victims were teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, all 14 years old.
What is the condition of the hospitalized victims?
The hospitalized victims are expected to make a full recovery.