Friday marks two years since a 14-year-old gunman killed two students, two teachers and injured several others at Apalachee High School.
Christian Angulo, Mason Schermerhorn, Cristina Irimie and Coach Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall lost their lives in the shooting on on Sept. 4, 2024 at the high school in Barrow County.
We’ll have live coverage of how the victims are being remembered throughout the day, on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m.
Gov. Brian Kemp has designated Sept. 4 as Apalachee Remembrance Day during a ceremony with the victims’ families, survivors, teachers and law enforcement who responded that day.
“For them, this date will always be a reminder of that loss, but also of the impact their loved ones had on others,” Kemp said. “But the people of Winder and Barrow County are also still here showing up every day, working to help each other, putting one foot in front of the other, while we all move forward while never forgetting.”
This will be the first remembrance day since the shooter, Colt Gray, and his father, Colin Gray, were sentenced for the shooting.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
THE VICTIMS
Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, 14
Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn were both students at Apalachee High School. The families of the two teens killed in the shooting have supported each other through the grief.
“We’ve been able to lean on each other through a lot of this,” Breanna Schermerhorn, Mason’s mother, told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco.
In the year since the shooting, Mason’s mother, Schermerhorn has spoken out about the security measures at the school and funding for school resource officers.
Junior Angulo says his little brother has taught him the true meaning of courage. At 14 years old, his brother sacrificed his life to lock the door during the school shooting and save his classmates.
“He’s teaching me how to not take things for granted,” Junior Angulo said.
Cristina Irimie, 53
Irimie taught math at Apalachee High School. She moved from Romania to the United States in 1996 as a professional dancer. Irimie found her passion for teaching later in life. In 2013, she went to the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega Campus. By 2014, she was a math teacher.
A close friend, Gabrielle Buth, told Channel 2 Action News that Irimie considered her students her children. The night before she died, Irimie baked a cake and brought it to the classroom the next day with pizza. She wanted to celebrate her birthday with the kids.
“Cristina was a woman with a big heart and a good soul,” Buth said. “She was a real warrior, but not with a sword, but her soul.”
Richard Aspinwall, 39
Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall also taught math and coached football as the defensive coordinator. He was the father of two young daughters.
Aspinwall was affectionately known as Coach A to the football team and was beloved by fellow coaches and players past and present. He previously coached at Haralson County High School, Dunwoody High School and Mountain View High School.
“He was one of the best people I’ve ever been around,” said close friend Nick Bach.
“He was that person who would stand out and greet his students as they were coming in,” Mountain View High School Track Coach Gail Devers said.
FIRST ANNIVERSARY SINCE THE TRIALS
This will be the first anniversary since the shooter pleaded guilty and since a jury found his father guilty on multiple charges.
Colt Gray pleaded guilty to 55 charges connected with the mass shooting he carried out as a 14-year-old freshman. Judge Nicholas Primm sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Four lives were stolen, two of whom were only just beginning. And it wasn’t done out of fear or anger. You weren’t being bullied at Apalachee. It wasn’t done out of hatred – you didn’t even know anybody at that school. It was done for the infamy of it,” Primm said during sentencing.
Prosecutors accused his dad, Colin Gray, of buying the rifle used in the shooting and failing to lock it up or restrict his access to guns in the home.
Colin Gray was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct charges. Primm sentenced him to 15-year sentences for each second-degree murder charge and 10 years for each reckless conduct charge.
The judge noted in his sentencing that the crimes were all of negligence, and Colin Gray was never accused of knowing or helping with his son’s plan to open fire on the school.
“My heart aches for everyone who was there that day, for all of you that have been impacted by it,”' the judge said. “But the law requires that I set aside emotion. I don’t get to sentence with passion. I have the nearly impossible task of sentencing you without passion, despite the immeasurable heartache that you’ve caused.”
Colin Gray has filed an appeal for a new trial.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
