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(NewsNation) — Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Wednesday’s shooting at Apalachee High School that left four dead and nine injured was an act of “pure evil” and vowed “hate will not prevail.”
“Love will prevail over what happened today, I assure you of that,” Smith said at an afternoon news conference.
The tragedy hit close to home for Smith, a lifelong Barrow County resident whose children are in the school system.
“My heart hurts for these kids, my heart hurts for our community, but I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county,” he said.
Authorities have named 14-year-old Apalachee student Colt Gray as the suspect. Gray was taken into custody after giving himself up to a school resource officer.
“Our school resource officer engaged him and the shooter quickly realized that if he did not give up, that it would end with an OIS — an Officer Involved Shooting. He gave up, got on the ground and the deputy took him into custody,” Smith said.
Gray is expected to be charged with murder and tried as an adult, according to law enforcement.
Two students and two teachers were killed in the shooting, though it’s unclear if any of the victims were specifically targeted, Smith said.
Apalachee High School is in Winder, Georgia, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. The school has about 1,900 students.
Classes across the school district have been canceled for the rest of the week, but grief counselors will be available, according to district officials.
