Crime
What we know about the 4 people killed in Apalachee High School shooting
Colt Gray will make his first court appearance on Friday.
Four people were tragically killed in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning.
The victims have been identified as:
- Mason Schermerhorn: A 14-year-old student
- Christian Angulo: A 14-year-old student
- Richard Aspinwall: A math teacher and assistant football coach
- Christina Irimie: A math teacher
The school’s website confirms that both Aspinwall and Irimie were math teachers, and Aspinwall also served as an assistant football coach.
Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School, has been identified as the suspected gunman in the tragic shooting.
Gray will face murder charges and be tried as an adult.
Last year, Gray was questioned by law enforcement regarding several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unspecified location and time. However, there was insufficient evidence to warrant an arrest at that time.
Colt Gray will make his first court appearance on Friday.
The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice communications director, Glenn Allen, confirmed that Gray will appear in a virtual hearing, although the exact timing has not been determined.
Gray was transferred to the Gainesville Youth Detention Center overnight. Despite facing adult charges, he is currently being held in juvenile custody due to his age.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) director, Chris Hosey, stated during a press conference on Wednesday night that authorities are still investigating how the suspect obtained the AR-platform style weapon used in the shooting.
Law enforcement sources have confirmed that there were no additional shootings or incidents reported in connection with the Apalachee High School tragedy.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) director has stated that an AR-platform weapon was used in the shooting.
Prior to the attack, Apalachee High School received a phone threat warning of shootings at five schools, with Apalachee being the first target. However, there is currently no evidence to suggest that any other schools were targeted.
The GBI director, Chris Hosey, has indicated that investigators are exploring the possibility of associates of the shooter being involved in the incident. At this time, there is no evidence to support the involvement of additional shooters or the existence of a list of targeted schools.
As the investigation continues, schools in the county will remain closed for the week.
Lyela Sayarath, a student at Apalachee High School, described how the suspected shooter left the classroom at the beginning of their Algebra 1 class around 9:45 a.m.
Upon returning to the classroom near the end of the class, the shooter knocked on the door. Another student approached to open the door but noticed the shooter was armed and did not open it. The shooter then proceeded to the next-door classroom and opened fire.
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Department received the first reports of the shooting around 10:20 a.m. Law enforcement and two school resource officers assigned to Apalachee High responded promptly.
Sheriff Jud Smith stated that a resource officer confronted the shooter, who immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.
As a precautionary measure, all schools in the district were placed on lockdown, and police officers were sent to all district high schools.
The FBI and the ATF joined the investigation, working alongside local and state officials. Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed their involvement.
Crime
2 Christian County deputies killed in the line of duty, suspect Richard Bird also dead
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
Christian County, Mo. โ A massive multi-agency manhunt in Christian County has ended with the suspect dead, but not before claiming the lives of two sheriffโs deputies and injuring two others.
According to Brad Cole, the suspect, Richard Bird, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers early Tuesday morning near the roundabout on State Highway 160 close to Reeds Spring.
Authorities confirmed that two deputies with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office were killed in the line of duty during the operation.
One of the fallen deputies has been identified as 30-year-old Deputy Gabriel Ramirez.
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
In addition to the two fatalities, one Christian County deputy and one deputy from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office were wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
Sheriff Cole stated that their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The violence began around 4:00 p.m. Monday when a Christian County deputy conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of State Highway 160 and Route HH, south of Highlandville.
During that stop, Deputy Ramirez was fatally shot, prompting a Blue Alert and a large-scale manhunt for Bird.
After Birdโs vehicle was located abandoned, officers from across the Ozarks converged on the area. Sheriff Cole said approximately 100 officers, deputies, and state troopers participated in the search effort, along with federal partners including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the ATF.
The search continued for hours into the early morning. A helicopter operated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol detected a moving heat signature in a wooded area near Reeds Spring. As deputies approached the location, Bird reportedly opened fire. Law enforcement officers returned fire, fatally striking the suspect and ending the threat.
While the suspect was neutralized, the outcome has left the community in mourning. Two deputies lost their lives in the line of duty, and two others were injured.
Sheriff Cole described the loss as devastating for the department and the broader community. Families of the fallen deputies are now grieving, and colleagues across multiple agencies are reflecting on the risks law enforcement officers face daily.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing as authorities continue to process the scene and review the circumstances surrounding the shootings.