Georgia: At least four people, including two students, were killed, and nine others injured when a fellow student opened fire at a high school in the U.S. state of Georgia on Wednesday, according to a CNN report. The suspected gunman, identified as 14-year-old Colt Cray, a student at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, approximately an hour outside of Atlanta, is currently in custody. Two of the victims were students, while the other two were teachers. Law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate the shooting, including the motive behind it.
In an interview with CNN, Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, revealed that she was sitting next to the suspected gunman, Colt Cray, just moments before the deadly shooting took place on Wednesday. Sayarath stated that the suspected gunman left the classroom at the beginning of their Algebra 1 class around 9:45 am local time. Initially, she thought that Cray was going to the bathroom, but since he didn’t take a hall pass, she assumed he was skipping class.
Towards the end of her algebra class, Lyela said someone over the loudspeaker told her teacher to check her email. Shortly after, Colt returned to the classroom outside of the shut door, which Lyela said locks automatically. She said a girl in the class went to open the door for him, but then jumped backwards after presumedly seeing that he had a gun.
While speaking to CNN, Lyela said,” I guess he saw we weren’t going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open so I think he just started shooting in the classroom.” Lyela said the students in her classroom hid behind desks, as they heard the gunshots, which she described as “just one after another.”
She added, “When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.” “The teacher turned off the lights, but we all just kind of piled together. And like I pushed desks in front of us.”
Lyela said her friend was in the classroom next to her, where the shooting was taking place. “He was pretty shaken up,” she said of her friend. “He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified.”
Lyela described Colt as quiet and shy, noting that he would only respond with single-word answers during group projects. The US has suffered at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. That’s an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.
Georgia school shooting: White House calls for tougher gun laws
Following the shooting at a high school in Georgia that resulted in the deaths of four people, including two students, the White House has urged Congress to “do something” and called for a ban on assault weapons.
After extending condolences to those affected by the high school shooting, White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre said, “We need universal background checks…We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, invest in prevention programs, and pass a national red flag law.”
Biden condemns shooting incident in Georgia school
Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed in Winder, Georgia.
Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to… pic.twitter.com/ncjrdNxQUT
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 4, 2024
Soon after the shocking incident, President Joe Biden called on Republicans to work with Democrats in the US Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence in the United States. Sharing a post on X(previously Twitter), Biden wrote,”Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed in Winder, Georgia. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”
Biden said, “We cannot continue to accept this as normal. We are closely coordinating with officials at the federal, state and local levels and are grateful for the first responders who brought the suspect into custody and prevented further loss of life.”
(With ANI Inputs)
from Latest News, Breaking News, LIVE News, Top News Headlines, Viral Video, Cricket LIVE, Sports, Entertainment, Business, Health, Lifestyle and Utility News | India.Com https://ift.tt/UdaWhko