It's the third week of school for students at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, but tragically, that was disrupted on Wednesday morning by a school shooting. We reported on the incident as information was still coming in. Initial reports indicated that two people were dead; later reports doubled that to four, with at least nine hospitalized. Additionally, we learned that the shooter was alive and had been taken into custody.
At 4:30 p.m. Eastern, law enforcement officials held a press conference to provide an update on the situation.
MEDIA ADVISORY: Apalachee School Shooting Briefing
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 4, 2024
The GBI, Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI will hold a news conference at 4:30 p.m. to provide updates into the school shooting at Apalachee High School. pic.twitter.com/bPmbg9zABW
Video of the full press conference may be viewed below. Here are some of the key pieces of information shared by law enforcement during the briefing.
Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) Director Chris Hosey
- At approximately 10:20 am, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office received alerts of reports regarding an active shooter situation.
- Law enforcement was on the scene within minutes.
- There were two school resource officers who immediately encountered the subject, who immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.
- There are four deceased: two students; two teachers.
- There are nine people at local hospitals with various injuries.
- The suspect is identified as Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at the high school. He will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith
- In his opening remarks, Sheriff Smith observed that “Pure evil” happened today. He added, “Hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today — I assure you of that.”
- Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has provided every available resource.
- At this time, they do not know the motive.
- Asked by a reporter if he believed this was a “hate crime,” Smith observed that if someone takes a firearm into a school to harm others, it’s hateful.
- The shooter was armed when an SRO engaged him. The shooter quickly realized if he did not give up, it would end with an officer-involved shooting.
- He is not aware of any warning ahead of the shooting.
- He is not sure how the shooter obtained the weapon or got it into the school.
- The shooter was interviewed and has been speaking with investigators, along with the GBI.
- All nine injured victims were shot in some capacity.
- He does not know if there were any specific targets at this point — they are not aware of any connection between the shooter and victims yet.
- They have not yet identified the weapon; they do not yet know how many rounds were fired.
School Superintendent - Dallas LeDuff - Barrow County School System
- Schools will be closed for the remainder of the week as the investigation proceeds.
- Central offices are open; grief counseling will be available.
Another GBI official affirmed that the investigation is still in its early stages, and they anticipate holding another press conference in a couple of hours.