A 14-year-old opened fire at a school in the US state of Georgia, killing at least four people, reports krone.at. The fatalities included two students and two teachers. The insane act has probably been visible for a long time – the young gunman was no stranger to the police…
Investigators say the shooter is a student at Apalachee High School. He was arrested and is being questioned by police. Police were unable to provide information about a possible motive.
Several anonymous tips last year
According to an FBI statement, there were multiple anonymous tips last year about a possible attack, including online threats that included photos of weapons and announced a gun attack on a school, the report said.
The suspected shooter and his father were then questioned. “The father stated that he had hunting weapons in the house, but that the suspect did not have unsupervised access to these weapons.”
The then 13-year-old denied threatening an attack. Local schools were warned to continue monitoring the teen. “At this time, there was no credible reason for an arrest or further law enforcement,” the report said.
Sheriff describes act as ‘pure evil’
“I want to make it clear that hate will not prevail in this county. (…) Love will prevail over what happened today,” said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, describing the act, which occurred Wednesday morning (local time), as “pure evil.”
Teenager accused of murder
A school police officer caught the 14-year-old. The teen likely feared a gunfight was about to occur, so he lay down on the ground and gave up. Other police officers quickly arrived and assisted. Investigators announced that the 14-year-old would be charged with murder and treated as an adult.
“He never really said anything.”
A classmate described the teen as quiet. “He never really said anything,” Lyela Sayarath told CNN. He also skipped classes regularly. Another student described: “I heard screaming and stuff.” She didn’t think much of it at first, Janice Martinez continued. But then the noise got louder and louder.
The students were gradually evacuated from the school building and gathered on a sports field, US media reported. Initially, parents were asked not to come to school because of the danger. The responsible authority announced that schools in the district will remain closed until the end of the week.
No connection between shooter and victim
American media had reported that there had been threatening phone calls the morning before the attack. The investigators did not confirm this when asked. According to Sheriff Smith, there is no direct personal connection between the shooter and the victims.
In the US, fatal shootings are a part of everyday life. Firearms are readily available and widely distributed in the United States. Such larger attacks, for example in schools, supermarkets, nightclubs or at large events, regularly lead to discussions about tightening gun laws – so far without any success.
According to the nongovernmental organization Gun Violence Archive, approximately 11,500 people have died from gun violence in the US alone since the beginning of this year — not including suicides.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
