911 Calls Released from Fatal School Shooting in Georgia

The emergency call center in Barrow County, Georgia, faced an overwhelming flood of calls on September 4th following a tragic school shooting at Apalachee High School. This horrific incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left nine others injured, as newly released records indicate.

Local media outlets report that many of the 911 calls generated by this incident were not made public due to state laws preventing the release of recordings that involve voices of minors under 18. This policy is particularly notable considering the school, located in Winder, northeast of Atlanta, has approximately 1,900 students, most of whom are minors.

The surge of calls began around 10:20 a.m., the moment authorities allege that 14-year-old suspect Colt Gray initiated his attack. During this peak time, many individuals attempting to reach emergency services encountered an automated message informing them of a “high call volume,” according to reports from WAGA-TV.

One man described his agonizing wait on hold after receiving alarming text messages from his girlfriend, who was inside the school. He remained on hold for more than ten minutes, trying to understand the situation. “She hears people yelling outside, so I don’t know if that’s officers in the building or — I don’t know,” he recounted, ultimately relieved to hear that she was eventually evacuated safely.

Additional parents also reached out to 911 after receiving distressing calls from their children inside the school. One mother shared her panic: “My daughter calling me crying. Somebody go ‘boom, boom, boom, boom.’” The 911 operator reassured her, saying, “Ma’am we have officers out there, OK?”

The chaos extended beyond Apalachee High School, with parents from neighboring elementary and middle schools desperately seeking information about the situation. One caller urgently asked, “Sir, my daughter goes to school next door to Apalachee. Is there a school shooter?” The operator confirmed an active situation was unfolding at the high school, mentioning they were receiving numerous similar calls.

Alongside the 911 records, more than 500 radio communications between emergency responders were released, revealing urgent exchanges on the scene. An officer could be heard shouting, “Active shooter!” to a dispatcher, to which another officer confirmed, “Correct. We have an active shooter at Apalachee High School.”

This shooting claimed the lives of teachers Richard Aspinwall, aged 39, and Cristina Irimie, aged 53, as well as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. In addition, another teacher and eight students sustained injuries, with seven of them being direct gunfire victims.

Investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) revealed that the suspect rode the school bus to Apalachee High School while concealing an assault-style rifle in his backpack. Upon arrival, he requested to leave class and go to the front office. With permission granted, he was allowed to bring his backpack, which he then took to a restroom where he ultimately retrieved the weapon and began firing.

Further details indicated that the suspect had only enrolled at Apalachee High on August 14th and had already been absent for nine school days prior to this incident. CBS News reported that the suspect’s grandmother had visited the school the day before to discuss concerns regarding his behavior.

Charged as an adult, the suspect faces four counts of murder, with the District Attorney, Brad Smith, alluding to possible additional charges related to the injuries caused. Furthermore, the suspect’s father, Colin Gray, aged 54, is also facing charges, as law enforcement alleges he provided his son access to the firearm despite being aware of potential risks.

In the aftermath, students from nearby schools resumed classes on September 5th. The 1,900 students at Apalachee High School are expected to return to their studies the week of September 23, according to officials.