A 14-year-old boy killed four people, including two students, and wounded nine more when he opened fire at a high school in the US state of Georgia on Wednesday, law enforcement said.
The suspected shooter, who was also a student at the school, had previously come to the FBI’s attention over a year ago due to threats of a school shooting. Following the incident, he was taken into custody and will face murder charges as an adult, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The shooting occurred amidst a troubling surge in gun violence across the United States, with nearly 400 mass shootings reported this year alone. In response to the tragedy, people gathered at a nearby sports field, some forming a circle with their arms linked.
Sheriff Jud Smith stated that the school resource officer engaged with the shooter. “The shooter quickly realized that if he did not surrender, it would end in an officer-involved shooting. He complied, got on the ground, and was taken into custody by the deputy,” Smith said.
Authorities are still determining whether the shooter targeted specific individuals. The nine wounded individuals are expected to recover, and the two students who were killed were also 14 years old.
