911 calls overwhelmed operators after shooting at Georgia’s Apalachee High School
WINDER, Ga. — A Georgia county’s emergency center was inundated with calls about a school shooting at apalachee high schoolThis is according to data released by Barrow County on Friday.
Local news organizations report that many of the 911 calls have not been released under public records requests because state law exempts calls that record the voice of someone under 18 from release. That exemption would cover calls from most of the 1,900 students at the school in Winder, northeast of Atlanta.
Conversations increased around 10:20 amwhile authorities have said the 14-year-old Colt Gray started shooting. Many calls were answered with an automated message stating that there was a “high call volume.” WAGA-TV reported.
A man called 911 after receiving text messages from a girlfriend. He was put on hold for just over 10 minutes because of an influx of calls at the time of the shooting, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
“She hears people screaming outside, so I don’t know if that’s officers in the building or if that’s — I don’t know,” he said, adding that she was eventually evacuated from the school.
Other adults also called 911 after their children contacted them.
“My daughter calls me crying. Someone’s going ‘boom, boom, boom, boom,'” one mother said. The 911 operator responded, “Ma’am, we have officers there, OK?”
Parents of students at an elementary and middle school near Apalachee also called 911 seeking information.
“Sir, my daughter goes to school next to Apalachee. Is there a shooter at school?” asked one caller.
“We have an active situation (at) Apalachee High School right now,” the operator responded. “We’re getting a lot of calls.”
More than 500 radio messages were also distributed among aid workers on Friday.
“Active shooter!” an officer shouts in an audio clip while speaking to a dispatcher, CNN reports. Another officer responds, “Correct. We have an active shooter at Apalachee High School.”
The shooting cost lives teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, as well as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were injured, seven of whom were hit by gunfire.
Colt Gray is charged as an adult with four counts of murder, and District Attorney Brad Smith has said he will likely face more charges in connection with the injuries. Authorities have also charged his father, Colin Grayclaiming that he is his son access to the gun while he knew or should have known that the teenager posed a danger to himself and others.
The 13,000 students at Barrow County’s other schools back to class tuesdayThe 1,900 students who attend Apalachee are expected to return the week of Sept. 23, officials said Friday.