On September 4, 2024, Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, was the scene of a devastating school shooting. The incident, which left two students and two teachers dead, unfolded over the course of a few intense hours. Here is a detailed timeline of what we know so far from that fateful day:
8:15 a.m.: The school day begins, and Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, arrives at Apalachee High School. Concealed in his backpack is an AR-15-style rifle. Gray manages to bring the weapon into the school without detection.
9:38 a.m.: First period ends, and students, including Gray, transition to their next classes. This brief seven-minute window allows them to switch between classrooms before the next period begins.
9:45 a.m.: Second period begins. Gray is present in his algebra class, where fellow student Lyela Sayarath briefly sees him. Gray soon requests permission to leave the classroom, telling his teacher he needs to visit the office. Instead, he heads to a nearby bathroom where he hides, armed with the rifle.
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9:50 a.m.: Colt Gray’s mother, Marcee Gray, who is 200 miles away in Fitzgerald, Georgia, makes a frantic call to the school. She had received a chilling text message from her son saying, “I’m sorry.” During this call, Marcee warns school officials of an “extreme emergency.” A counselor mentions that a teacher had expressed concerns earlier that morning about Colt’s troubling behavior, and that Cole specifically made references to school shootings. Marcee pleads with the school to locate her son urgently.
9:45 – 10:20 a.m.: An administrator enters Gray’s algebra class looking for a student with a similar name. The mix-up is eventually clarified, and Colt is identified as the student of concern. The teacher is called over the intercom.
About 10:20 a.m.: Just as the intercom buzzes again, Colt Gray is seen standing outside the classroom door. Within moments, he opens fire, unleashing 10-15 gunshots in rapid succession. The shots ring out in the hallway and hit at least one classroom. Teachers, including those who were trying to protect students, are injured in the chaos.
10:23 a.m.: The school’s wireless panic button system is activated, triggering an immediate lockdown. Students who hear the gunfire start contacting their parents, desperate for help.
10:26 a.m.: School resource officers confront Colt Gray in the hallway. Rather than resisting, Gray surrenders immediately and is taken into custody without further incident.
Around 11:00 a.m.: As law enforcement officers secure the school, they begin searching the Gray family’s home for additional evidence. At Apalachee High, classrooms are cleared one by one to ensure no other threats remain, and students are evacuated to the football field where worried parents have gathered.
About 1:00 p.m.: Students are released to their parents, many of whom had rushed to the scene upon hearing of the shooting. The school remains a crime scene as authorities continue their investigation.
The shooting left four victims dead: two students and two teachers. The deceased were identified as 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine others were injured in the shooting, many of whom were teachers trying to protect their students.
Colt Gray now faces multiple murder charges and will be tried as an adult. His father, Colin Gray, has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter for providing the weapon to his son, despite knowing of Colt’s mental health struggles.
The community continues to mourn the loss of these lives as the investigation into the events leading up to the shooting continues.
