Georgia, national Democratic leaders call for gun safety legislation after Apalachee High shooting

People in the United States were horrified as they saw on television and social media that students from Apalachee High School in Winder were forced to leave the building due to a shooting that resulted in four deaths and nine injuries, as reported by law enforcement and the news.

Authorities confirmed the identities of the four individuals who lost their lives in the tragic shooting at Apalachee school on Wednesday morning. The victims include two 14-year-old students named Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, as well as math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Authorities announced on Wednesday that Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, will be facing murder charges and will be treated as an adult during his trial for the shooting incident.

Chris Hosey, the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, stated that there was no indication of a second shooter being involved.

The Winder high school is located halfway between Atlanta and Athens.

There was no proof that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also planned to be attacked. Another threat was reported to the police on Wednesday at a different high school, but after looking into it, authorities determined that there was no actual danger.

Investigators are actively following any information about people who may have been working with the shooter in this incident, Hosey stated.

"Though, we are finding a significant amount of evidence and examining it," Hosey explained. "We are carefully reviewing all the information to see if there are any potential dangers to schools in this region, this county, and the state of Georgia. We will keep a close eye on this situation moving forward."

The police in the area were notified about a person with a gun at Apalachee campus at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, along with various other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders, are assisting the Barrow Sheriff’s Office with the ongoing investigation, according to Smith.

"I want to extend my condolences to our community, our school district, our children, our families who had to witness this today. What you see here is truly a terrible and evil event," expressed Smith, a long-time resident of Barrow, with emotion.

Hosey mentioned that Gray was also believed to have made threats before Wednesday about a possible violent incident at a different school in Georgia.

The FBI received a tip from an unidentified source that someone was posting dangerous messages on social media related to the school.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office named Gray as the suspect, but he was not arrested because investigators did not have enough evidence to charge him, according to Hosey.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his sympathy to the families of the four individuals who lost their lives in the shooting, as well as the nine others who were injured. He also extended his condolences to the students and residents of the Barrow County community who are mourning the tragic event.

He asked everyone in Georgia and across the country to keep the families, educators, and students in their thoughts and prayers. He promised to give all necessary resources to help this community and the team standing behind him.

The recent shooting incident will probably lead to more demands for gun safety laws during the upcoming state legislative session starting in January. A Senate study committee on secure storage of firearms was already planning to hold its first meeting on Thursday morning.

Decatur Democrat Senator Emanuel Jones leads the committee of five members, which consists of three members from the Republican party and two members from the Democratic party.

"As the head of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am dedicated to discovering ways to prevent these heartbreaking events from happening," Jones stated. "This is not about taking away Second Amendment rights, but rather ensuring the safety of our children."

Georgians have been outraged by multiple well-known shootings in recent times. One incident in 2021 saw a shooter take the lives of eight individuals, including six Asian women, at spas in metro Atlanta. Another shooting in 2023 occurred at a medical facility in Atlanta, resulting in one fatality and causing several city blocks to be placed under lockdown for an extended period.

The events, along with similar incidents happening across the country, such as the shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas in 2022, motivated legislators in Georgia to look for ways to improve student safety.

Kemp has emphasized the importance of implementing measures to enhance school safety, such as allocating $103.9 million annually in the budget. This funding equates to $45,000 for each public school in Georgia to support safety initiatives.

Democrats requested additional actions.

State Representative Michelle Au, a Democrat from Johns Creek, made a significant accomplishment for those in favor of gun safety last year. Her proposed bill on gun storage, which aimed to penalize gun owners who carelessly allowed unsupervised children to access firearms resulting in harm to themselves or others, was granted a public hearing.

The proposed law was not approved. Another bill that was suggested as a compromise also did not pass. This bill would have offered a tax break of up to $300 for safety devices such as gun safes and trigger locks.

At the beginning of the year, the mother and father of a Michigan student who committed a school shooting were convicted of involuntary manslaughter. They were held responsible for not stopping their child from causing harm, which resulted in the deaths of four people.

Many people from all over the country are expressing their condolences, while also urging for the implementation of stricter gun control laws.

President Joe Biden stated that the shooting during the back-to-school season serves as yet another terrible example of how gun violence is causing division and pain within our communities. He urged Congress to implement stricter gun control laws.

He stated that after many years of doing nothing, Republicans in Congress need to finally take action and collaborate with Democrats to pass sensible gun safety laws. He emphasized the need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, mandate safe storage of firearms, implement universal background checks, and remove immunity for gun manufacturers. While these steps may not bring back those who were tragically killed, they can help prevent further devastating gun violence from destroying more families.

Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the importance of increasing our efforts to eliminate the widespread issue of gun violence, especially in light of the tragic school shooting in Georgia on Wednesday.

In March, the Biden-Harris government introduced new measures to enhance gun safety in order to curb mass shootings at schools and other forms of gun violence that impact young people. These initiatives will place a stronger emphasis on mental health support and keeping firearms out of the hands of students and individuals experiencing crises.

“This is another tragic event among many other tragedies,” Harris stated at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Wednesday afternoon. Harris expressed her disbelief that parents in the United States have to fear for their children's safety at school every day. It is unacceptable that this has become a common concern in our country.

Harris asked for a ban on assault weapons, background checks for everyone, and laws to identify potential threats.

Georgia Democrats expressed a similar sentiment.

Georgia Representative Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was tragically killed in a gun-related incident, expressed her condolences and thoughts for the families of other victims.

"I am sending my thoughts and prayers to the students of Apalachee High School and the residents of Winder," she stated. "My heart goes out to families all across our state and country. It is devastating that so many are still affected by the tragic impact of gun violence. No family should ever have to endure such suffering."

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock expressed his sadness for the families affected by the tragedy at Apalachee High School. He also mentioned that he is keeping the entire Winder community in his thoughts and prayers. However, he emphasizes the importance of not just praying with words, but also taking action to prevent future tragedies.

He stated that unless we prioritize the people and begin a genuine, bipartisan discussion in Washington and state capitals nationwide to promote practical, widely-supported gun safety measures, it is inevitable that tragedies like this will affect everyone eventually.

Former President Donald Trump shared his thoughts on the Truth Social platform.

"We are thinking of the victims and families impacted by the terrible incident in Winder, GA," stated Trump. "These beloved children were unfairly taken from us too early by a disturbed and cruel individual."

Georgia Republicans were mostly calm, expressing sympathy for the victims and admiration for law enforcement, but refraining from discussing any potential policy implications.

Governor Kemp stated that he has used all of the resources from the state to address the incident at Apalachee High School. He also asked all the people in Georgia to pray for the safety of everyone in our schools, not just in Barrow County, but all over the state. He mentioned that they will keep working with other levels of government to get more information and handle the situation.

In a statement, House Speaker Jon Burns mentioned that there will be a time to talk about policy.

"As a dad and a grandpa, I am heartbroken by the terrible event that happened today at Apalachee High School," he explained. "We are still grieving the tragic deaths and hoping for those who were hurt, as we support their families and the whole Barrow County area during this difficult period."

We have chosen to invest a lot of money in mental health and school safety. Right now, we are focused on giving our love and support to the students, teachers, and families affected. We will have policy discussions later on.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, who represents the eastern region of Georgia where the school is located, is known for making controversial and provocative statements on social media, but he remained reserved on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are sending our thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County," he posted on social media. "We want to thank law enforcement for acting quickly to keep the school safe and apprehend the shooter. I have talked to Sheriff Smith and let him know that my team and I are ready to help in any way we can. We will keep an eye on the situation and share any new information when appropriate."

The school is served by two influential Republicans in the state government: Senator Bill Cowsert from Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration from Auburn, who both shared similar thoughts on Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities is urging anyone feeling upset to reach out by calling or texting 988. This service is free and private, and allows individuals to speak with counselors who have been specially trained to help.

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