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One of the four people killed by Colt Grayel, the 14-year-old suspect in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, is of Mexican descent. Christian Angulo was a 14-year-old boy who, although born in the United States, had dual citizenship; his life was taken along with another student and two math teachers. Nine other people were injured and taken to the hospital.
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), through the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta, reported that following the shooting that took place on September 4 at Apalachee High School, the consular representation implemented the emergency response protocol.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of the minor of Mexican nationality and detailed that diplomatic personnel established communication with the minor born in the United States, who unfortunately died in the shooting, in order to provide the necessary support.
The consulate is also in contact with authorities to confirm the health status and nationality of the people hospitalized, and to rule out the possibility of more Mexicans being affected.
"The SRE regrets the death of the Mexican minor and sends its condolences to the family, as well as to the community of Winder, in light of this tragic event," he said.
The Mexican government also condemned the horrific attack and denounced gun violence, while reiterating its firm commitment to protecting the rights of the Mexican community in the United States.
This is the 384th mass shooting in the United States, 45 of which have occurred in educational institutions, and the 23rd in terms of mass murders, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Colt Gray, described as a quiet 14-year-old who had been on the FBI's radar for more than a year, opened fire on students and teachers with a semi-automatic rifle on Wednesday morning.
Gray's four victims were: Christian Angulo, a 14-year-old Latino student of Mexican immigrants; Mason Schermerhorn, an African-American student of the same age; and math teachers Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39.
In Christian's case, his older sister, Lisette Angulo, opened a GoFundMe account to support the funeral expenses of the youngest student.
“Hi everyone. My name is Lisette Angulo. I am the older sister of Christian Angulo. Unfortunately my little brother was one of the victims of the Apalachee High School shooting. He was only 14 years old. He was such a good boy and so sweet and caring. He was so loved by so many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected. We are truly heartbroken. He truly did not deserve this. We are kindly asking if you could help us with any donations to help with the expenses of his funeral ceremony because his loss was so sudden. We appreciate anything you can give. We would also appreciate any prayers at this time. Thank you,” reads the description on the GoFundMe page.
As of Friday morning, just over $145,000 has been raised from 4,169 donors.
For his part, US President Joseph Biden said that together with his wife Jill, he is mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by more senseless gun violence and thinking of all the survivors whose lives have been changed forever.
"What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now become another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students across the country are learning to duck and cover instead of learning to read and write. We can no longer accept this as normal," she said.
The president said in a statement that "this crisis (of armed violence) requires even more (action)."
"We must again ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. Thoughts and prayers are not enough," Biden wrote on his X account.
Following Gray's horrific attack, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said the suspect turned himself in when confronted by responding law enforcement officers.
“We’re still trying to sort out a lot of the timeline from the time he arrived at school today to the time the incident occurred,” Hosey said at a news conference late Wednesday night.
However, the Atlanta FBI said on social media that county authorities had interviewed the suspect last year about online threats to commit a school shooting.
Gray's father was arrested Wednesday on charges of involuntary manslaughter. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported that Colin Gray, 54, faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to minors.
Gray purchased the gun used in the shooting as a Christmas gift for his son in December 2023. Law enforcement sources revealed the weapon was an AR-15-style rifle.
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