The Apalachee High School football team will return to its home field Friday night for the first time since a mass shooting that resulted in four deaths, including one of the team’s coaches.
Fifteen-year-old student Colt Gray allegedly opened fire on September 4 at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, killing four and injuring nine others. He has been charged with murder and will be tried as an adult.
Math teacher and defensive coordinator Richard Aspinwall was one of two teachers killed in the shooting. He is expected to be honored at the game in what is expected to be an emotional event.
The players will face off against Jackson County High School at 7:30 p.m. The game will be livestreamed on the school’s YouTube channel.
AP Photo/Mike Stewart and Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes & Crematory
Last week, the team played its first away game since the mass shooting. The team lost 48-21 to Clarke Central High School on Saturday.
The players wore shirts that said “Coach A” under their jerseys as a tribute to Aspinwall.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently met the football team while filming in Atlanta.
“I can’t begin to imagine what these players and all the students, teachers & staff of Apalachee High are going through right now, but I’m here in any and every way I can be – to give my support and love to them and their families as they begin their healing journey,” he wrote on X.
He said he planned to attend their first home game. It is unclear if he will still be in attendance.
“We are kindly asking – if you do not have a player or performer on either team, please allow for the limited tickets to go to AHS and Jackson County High School families and students,” the school said on Facebook.
Ticket proceeds will be donated to the victims’ families.
At a school board meeting on Tuesday, Apalachee High School parents and community members spoke out in favor of stronger safety measures in the district.
“My biggest thing is Colt Gray rode the bus with my child, and she was kind of devastated that he literally sat two seats in front of her and he carried not just a small gun, but a huge rifle with him for three hours before he executed his plan that could have just been avoided if he had a clear book bag,” parent Tara Shipman said.
AP
Many parents advocated for the implementation of mesh or clear book bags and metal or weapon detectors.
“My child doesn’t feel safe going back. It seems to be something like we threw a lot of extra officers and personnel at for the first week, and he’s [my son] already told me that most of them are not there anymore,” parent Sean Schultz said.
Students returned to the high school on September 24 for half days and full-day classes will resume on October 14.
Colt Gray’s Parents
His father, Colin Gray, was also arrested in connection with the deadly shooting. He has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
Colt’s mother, Marcee Gray, was indicted on September 23 on unrelated charges of exploiting and intimidating a disabled person or elderly adult, false imprisonment, criminal damage to property and theft.
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