Authorities identify victims of Georgia high school shooting

 Colt Gray, 14, has been named as the alleged shooter and will face murder charges, officials report.

Published September 4, 2024 11:09pm EDT

 Authorities provide update on the tragic school shooting in Georgia

Officials in Georgia have identified the victims and released further details about the school shooting that resulted in 4 deaths and 9 injuries. (Credit: AP)

Authorities have identified the four victims of the shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday morning, where a student opened fire inside the school.

Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), reported that the victims included two 14-year-old students and two teachers. The students were Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both aged 14, while the teachers were Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irmie.

According to Channel2Now, Schermerhorn, who was autistic, was thought to have strayed from the school after dismissal.

One of the victims, Richard Aspinwall, was also a football coach at the school.

A student paid tribute to Coach Aspinwall on Instagram, writing, "Coach Aspinwall was one of the kindest teachers I've ever met. He always made it clear that he was there if I needed help with anything."

The post continued, "He was so funny, proudly talked about his wife and kids, and showed all of his students how much he cared."

Authorities have identified Colt Gray, now 14, as the shooter responsible for the deaths of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School. Gray surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody after the incident.

An AR-platform-style weapon was used in the shooting, according to Hosey.

The FBI confirmed, "As a follow-up to the Joint Statement just released, the subject referred to as the 13-year-old is the same individual in custody in connection with today’s shootings at Apalachee High School."

Investigators are still determining whether anyone was specifically targeted, though no known connections between Gray and the victims have been identified.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith reported that law enforcement, including two school resource officers, arrived on the scene within minutes of the incident.

Gray will face murder charges and will be prosecuted as an adult, Smith added.

Authorities have found no evidence suggesting the involvement of additional shooters and are actively investigating any potential associates of Gray.