A heartbreaking incident unfolded on Wednesday in the US state of Georgia, where a high school shooting claimed the lives of at least four people and left nine others injured. Law enforcement confirmed that a suspect is in custody, but no motive has been identified yet.
The shooting took place at Apalachee High School, near the town of Winder, about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta. In the aftermath, people gathered at a nearby sports field, some linking arms in grief and solidarity. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported that the injured were taken to various hospitals, dispelling earlier rumors that the suspect had been “neutralized.”
School officials enforced a “hard lockdown” after reports of gunfire, and anxious parents were later reunited with their children as long lines of vehicles formed outside the school.
President Joe Biden expressed his sorrow, stating, “Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”
This tragic event adds to the growing list of school shootings across the United States, where gun violence remains a pressing issue. Despite widespread support for stricter gun regulations, efforts to enact change continue to face strong opposition from the powerful gun lobby.