Officials identify 4 victims k!lled in Apalachee HS shooting
Authorities have identified the victims of a horrific shooting that took place at a Georgia high school on the morning of Wednesday, September 4.
Two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, along with two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, tragically lost their lives in the senseless massacre at Apalachee High School.
According to officials, the alleged shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, opened fire inside the school at approximately 10:30 a.m., causing panic and devastation among students and staff.
During a press conference held later that evening, authorities confirmed the identities of the victims, describing the deep impact the tragedy has had on the local community.
Math teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, both well-respected and beloved by their students, were fatally shot alongside the two young teenagers. The news has left the school and surrounding area in shock, with many struggling to comprehend the tragic loss of life.
Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to piece together the events that led to the shooting, while the community mourns the victims of this heartbreaking incident.
Mason Schermerhorn
Aspinwall was also an assistant coach of the Winder-based school’s football team and served as its defensive coordinator, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
A fundraising page started for Aspinwall’s family by a friend said the educator died protecting his students.
“It’s just so hard to think that somebody that you spent so much time with, because this is my second year with coach, but spending so much time, like family basically,” sophomore player Isaiah Hooks told Fox 5 Atlanta.
“So, turning around, knowing that he’s not going to be there.”
Angulo was remembered as a “very good kid” who was “very sweet and so caring,” his oldest sister said in another GoFundMe page.
“He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected,” she wrote. “We are truly heartbroken. He really didn’t deserve this.”
A long-time friend of Christian Angulo, who had known him since middle school, expressed his disbelief upon hearing about the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School.
“When I first heard there was a shooting, I immediately started reaching out to others, trying to find out if it was true that he had passed away,” Abner Sanchez shared with Fox 5 Atlanta. “I was in denial because you never expect someone you know to be taken from you like that, so suddenly.”
Sanchez’s shock and grief echo the sentiments of many who are grappling with the devastating loss of Angulo and the others who died in the senseless act of violence.
Christina Irimie
Eight students and one teacher, identified as David Phenix, were also injured in the devastating massacre. Fortunately, all nine wounded individuals are expected to survive, according to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.
The alleged shooter, Colt Gray, was apprehended shortly after he began firing an AR-15-style weapon inside Apalachee High School. Authorities have confirmed that Gray, 14, will likely face charges as an adult in connection with the deadly attack.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp addressed the tragedy in a statement on Wednesday night, urging people to offer their support and prayers for the victims and their families. “I ask all Georgians and Americans to keep these families, educators, and students in your thoughts and prayers,” Kemp said. “We will provide every state resource necessary, for as long as needed, to support this community and the team standing behind me.”
Police are currently sifting through a vast amount of evidence in their search for a motive behind the violence. It has also been revealed that Gray had been on the FBI’s radar for over a year prior to the shooting.
In May 2023, the bureau received multiple tips regarding threats he had made about committing a school shooting. This led the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to interview both Gray and his father. However, at the time, authorities concluded that there was insufficient probable cause to arrest him or take further action.
The incident has sparked outrage and renewed questions about how such threats were handled in the months leading up to the tragedy.
