Apalachee High School Shooting: Harris and Trump React as Four Killed

Presidential nominees Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have both provided statements about Wednesday’s shooting at a high school in Winder, Georgia, that left four dead and injured at least nine more.
During her visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, Vice President Harris departed from her prepared remarks about her small business proposals to reflect on the Apalachee High School shooting.
“It is just outrageous that every day in the United States of America, parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive,” Harris said.
She recounted a personal experience from earlier this year when she toured a school and spoke with students. Harris recalled asking how many of them had participated in active shooter drills. To her dismay, nearly every student raised their hand.
“They are sitting in a classroom where they should be fulfilling their God-given potential, yet some part of their big, beautiful minds is worried about a shooter breaking through the door,” Harris said. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”
Harris also posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, “Today, Doug and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by gun violence at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Our hearts are with the students, teachers, and families impacted by this shooting, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. This is a senseless tragedy — and it does not have to be this way. We must end the epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all.”
In a post on Truth Social, former President Trump wrote, “Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) identified the suspect as 14-year-old student Colt Gray on Wednesday afternoon.
The agency confirmed four casualties, including two students and two teachers, and said that nine were hospitalized after the mass shooting on Wednesday morning. Gray is in custody, and he will be charged with murder and tried as an adult, according to the GBI.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said during a press conference this afternoon that the shooting was first reported at 9:30 a.m. local time. Smith called the shooting an “evil thing” and said the investigation is “active and ever-developing.”
Both vice presidential nominees, Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance, also posted on social media about the shooting.
“Our hearts are with the families and community of Winder, Georgia as our nation reels from yet another tragic school shooting. Our actions need to be there too. We must do everything in our power to keep students and educators safe,” Walz posted on X.
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this despicable violence just days into the new school year. We are keeping the victims, their families, and the whole community of Winder, Georgia in our prayers this evening,” Vance wrote on X.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, a state senator from Georgia is seeking to shift an entrenched partisan discussion, emphasizing that his focus is not on limiting gun ownership but on preventing fatal shooting incidents involving children.
Emanuel Jones, a Democrat from Decatur, expressed this viewpoint last month, echoing the strategies of those working to lower gun violence in Republican-dominated states where legislative majorities staunchly support permissive gun laws.
At the inaugural Senate Safe Firearm Storage Study Committee meeting, Jones clarified that his intention was not to introduce a “gun bill” but to garner cross-party backing for enhanced firearm safety. The committee discussed potential measures such as tax credits for gun owners who utilize safety fixtures, educational campaigns and secure firearm storage techniques.
Jones stated, according to AP, “In creating this study committee, one of my considerations was determining what we can do to protect as many children as possible from premature deaths resulting from the unsafe storage of firearms in homes.”
Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, bolstered his election victory and ascended to national prominence via his assertive stance on gun rights. In 2022, Kemp enacted a law permitting individuals to carry a handgun without a state-issued permit.
Efforts by Georgia Democrats to advance gun control legislation have faced stiff resistance from Republicans.
Earlier this year, a bipartisan assembly of Georgia legislators sought to pass a firearm safety bill. The proposed legislation would provide a $300 tax benefit for gun owners who maintain secure storage devices—encompassing gun safes and locks—and engage in firearm safety training.
Despite being passed with a 162-3 majority in the House, the bill was unsuccessful in the Senate.
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Update 09/04/24, 6:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.