Suspect in Georgia school shooting charged with felony murder
Tragedy Strikes at Appalache High School: Four Killed, Nine Injured in School Shooting
Breaking news yet again out of Georgia, where a community is mourning the loss of four people – two students and two teachers – killed in yesterday’s school shooting. The horrific incident occurred about an hour outside of Atlanta at Appalache High School.
Suspect Charged with Felony Murder
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the 14-year-old suspect accused in the shooting has been charged with four counts of felony murder. Federal authorities have revealed that he was previously investigated over school shooting threats.
Community Gathers for Candlelight Vigil
Members of the community came together last night for a candlelight vigil, while one student, who joined the Today Show earlier, shared her heartbreaking experience. "I just feel like you’re never safe anywhere, no matter how many cops are in the school, there’s still no safety," she said.
NBC News Correspondent Jesse Kersch Reports from Georgia
Jesse Kersch, NBC News correspondent in Georgia, spoke with local authorities, including the sheriff, who shared more information about the shooting. Kersch reported that the suspect, Colt Gray, 14, had just transferred to the school district and was on his second day when he allegedly carried out the deadly shooting.
Survivors Share Accounts of the Ordeal
We are also hearing from those who survived the tragedy, including a young woman who spoke with authorities last night. She shared a harrowing account of how the teachers’ IDs sent GPS coordinates to alert school officials of the incident. "The teachers each have an ID with their picture on it, and they have a button on that ID, and they press it so many times… it sends us a GPS coordinate of that actual ID to the foot of where that person’s at. It also locks down the school, screens go on lock down, and the teachers know to go in and block the doors, and they begin doing that as well."
Update on Victims and Injured
We know that the four people who died – two students, both 14 years old, and two teachers, both math teachers – will be remembered and mourned today. Nine people who were shot and injured are all expected to survive.
