On September 4 tragedy struck.
A seemingly normal Wednesday took a drastic turn for the worse that no one could have foreseen. Apalachee high school (AHS) , located in Winder Georgia, was a normal high school following their usual schedule. No one would have expected that at around 10:20 am, many of their lives would be altered forever.
A 14 year old in 9th grade, Colt Gray was described as a typical boy who sat in the back of the classroom, the few times he was present at school.
On September 4, 2024, as usual, Colt Gray was in his algebra 1 class. Suddenly, exiting the classroom, his peers suspected nothing as skipping was a normal occurrence with him.
The only warning the school got was an urgent call from Colt’s mother. 30 minutes before the shooting, Colt Gray texted his mom only saying three words. “I’m sorry, mom.”
Colt left the room around 9:45 am which is when the chaos would begin. He was coming back when Lyela Sayarath heard knocking on the door, and looked over to see Colt. Going to open the door, she suddenly looked down and realized in his hand was a rifle. Making the decision that would ultimately save her and all of her friends’ lives, she backed away.
Colt Gray, realizing he wouldn’t be able to get in, stared at her and then heard a commotion in the hallway causing him to turn and open fire. Students report hearing 10-15 rounds of bullets and screams. The first report of the shooting arrived at 10:20 am where the police quickly jumped into action. The school went into lockdown and students texted their parents, some for the last time. The police got out as many students as they could who huddled up outside in a circle, praying for their friends.
While this was going on, Abey Ayers was using the bathroom like any other day. However, on this day she heard intense banging on the bathroom door. Assuming it was her friend, she went to open the door but found no one there. Inching towards the hallway she suddenly heard running, quickly turning to the right to a sight that would inevitably traumatize her forever.
The sight would behold Colt Gray sprinting towards her with a gun pointed in her direction. Abey was frozen and unable to move as Colt was hurriedly reaching her. Thankfully, a police officer was able to interfere and push Abey out of the scene, locking her in the bathroom. The officer was then able to detain Colt Gray who gave in.
This mass shooting caused the death of four wonderful people, and hospitalized 9 students. Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn were unable to make it out of the incident alive. They were described as funny,smart and lovable people who will always be remembered. The two teachers, Christina Irmie and Richard Aspinwall, protected their students as much as they could. Known as caring, supportive, and joyful teachers who took the time to teach their students, greatly impacting their lives.
Colt Gray was detained on September 4 and appeared in court on September 6. He was charged with 4 counts of murder and his sentence will be decided on December 4. His father, Colin Gray, who provided his son access with the firearm, was also arrested and charged. His hearing will also take place on Dec 4 and if found guilty, will result in a life sentence.
This incident has spurred many parents to protest to establish better laws concerning access to guns. Fundraising has also been set up for the families who are going through the imaginable loss of their children, siblings, and parents.