Four people were killed and at least nine injured, two of whom were treated at Piedmont Athens Regional, during a mass shooting at Apalachee High School near Winder this morning. Authorities have taken a 14-year-old suspect into custody.
While it’s unclear what type of weapon the shooter used or how he obtained it, Democratic congressional candidate Lexy Doherty castigated Republican Rep. Mike Collins, who represents Clarke and Barrow counties, for attempting to block background checks at gun shows.
“My anger only grows toward people in power who actively work to ensure that more and more weapons find their way into the hands of those intent on terror. After the Biden administration finally closed the ‘gun show loophole’ this year, Congressman Collins was an eager sponsor of Representative Andrew Clyde’s bill to stop the new law requiring background checks at gun shows and other sites of unregulated sale,” Doherty said in a news release.
“Reasonable people are merely asking for the most basic regulations on guns. But with each new tragic slaughter of our precious American children, it becomes clearer that a hardline faction of our political class is perfectly willing to accept these massacres as a cost of maintaining unregulated access to weapons of war.”
Collins was quick to clarify that not all of the injuries were caused by bullets.
One journalist dug up a clip of Collins during a 2022 debate stating that he’s opposed to any restrictions on guns, including “red flag” laws.
“We don’t have a gun problem in this country,” Collins said. “We have a cultural problem where we have removed God from every facet of our life, be it from schools, prayer, even television.”
The chair of a Georgia Senate study committee on safe firearm storage, Sen. Emmanuel Jones (D-Decatur), called for regulations ensuring that guns are stored effectively, noting that almost 2,000 Georgians are killed with guns each year.
“This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children,” Jones said.
Whether such legislation could pass remains in question, as most Republican elected officials offered little more than thoughts and prayers.
“This is a day every parent dreads,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement, without outlining any solutions for preventing such days.
“Today is tragic for our community and the State of Georgia. The senseless act of violence at Apalachee High School has left us grieving for the innocent lives affected and the families shattered by this unimaginable tragedy,” said state Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens), who represents part of Barrow County.
“I will continue to be in contact with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), state and local officials as we work to uncover more information surrounding this devastating situation. I want to thank the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department and the first responders who swiftly secured the school and apprehended the suspect. Their bravery certainly saved countless lives.
“In the coming days, I continue to offer my full support to the families of these students and will work diligently to address the concerns and needs of our community.”
In a joint statement with other Barrow County legislators, state Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) said: “This morning, students, teachers and staff went to school expecting a day like any other—and instead were met with tragedy. I join all Georgians in praying for the victims of today’s senseless violence, their loved ones and the Apalachee High School and Barrow County community. What happened today should never occur anywhere in our society, much less in our schools. Thank you to our law enforcement officers and first responders who immediately jumped into action. May God Bless Apalachee High School and Barrow County.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock called for a bipartisan conversation on common-sense gun reforms. “The entire Winder community is in my prayers,” Warnock said, “but we can’t pray only with our lips—we must pray by taking action.”
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