4 killed, 9 injured in Apalachee High School shooting; 14-year-old suspect in custody

(NEXSTAR) – Two students and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, authorities said Wednesday.

Another nine people were injured and taken to local hospitals, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The ages and identities of the injured were not immediately released.

The suspected shooter, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School, is alive and in custody, Bureau Director Chris Hosey said in an afternoon press conference. He has been identified as Colt Gray, Hosey said, adding he will be charged with murder and “handled as an adult.”

Sheriff Jud Smith said law enforcement received a call about an active shooter Wednesday morning, around 10:20 a.m., prompting the dispatch of multiple agencies, including firefighters and EMS personnel. Officers arrived within minutes, Hosey said.

The suspected shooter was confronted by a school resource officer, Smith said, at which point he surrendered.

“The shooter quickly realized that if he did not give up that it would end with an OIS, or  an officer-involved shooting,” Smith said. He gave up, got on the ground, and was taken into custody, Smith said.

A potential motive wasn’t named, but the investigation was ongoing, authorities said. An update was expected at a press conference later in the evening.

School will be closed for the rest of the week as the investigation continues, the superintendent said.

“This hits home for me. I was born and raised here. I went to school in this school system. My kids go to this school system. I’m proud of this school system,” Smith said. “My heart hurts for these kids, my heart hurts for our community, but I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county.”

Students were evacuated from classrooms after the shooting and could be seen gathering at the high school’s football stadium.

“I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state,” Gov. Brian Kemp posted on X.

He said local, state and federal authorities were working to gather more information.

The White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed by his Homeland Security Advisor, Liz Sherwood-Randall, about the shooting and the administration will coordinate with federal, state and local officials as it receives more information.

The shooting had reverberations in Atlanta, where patrols of schools in that city were beefed up, authorities said. More patrols of Atlanta schools would be done “for the rest of the day out of an abundance of caution,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.

Apalachee High School, located northeast of Atlanta, has an enrollment of around 1,900 students. The school year started a little over a month ago.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.