There have been way too many deadly school shootings in this nation. Every single time it happens, citizens are left in mourning, feeling deeply frustrated and scared, and asking why. Why this community, why were these innocent victims slain, why was this awful violence senselessly unleashed in our school?
Videos by Wide Open Country
It occurred again on September 4, 2024, in Winder, Georgia, at Apalachee High School.
The day began like any other. Before it was over, four people - students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie - would lose their lives and seven others would be wounded in the state's most lethal school shooting. The accused suspect is Colt Gray, a 14-year-old freshman.
Now, for the first time, the two courageous school resource officers who halted the violence, Chase Boyd and Brandon King, speak out.
Neither man has ever sought fanfare or acclaim for their actions that day but they are truly heroes.
Officers Chase Boyd And Brandon King Were Talking Inside The School When They Heard Gunfire
Boyd And King Raced Toward The Sounds
According to a lengthy and detailed post on the Barrow County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, Officers Boyd and King both heard a commotion. Boyd thought it "sounded like a muffled snare drum." The men sprinted about 200 yards toward the sounds.
King recalled, "It wasn't until we kept getting closer then it started registering more like the sound of gunfire."
Officers Boyd And King Saw "Thick Smoke And Dust" Permeating A Corridor
The Dark Haze Impaired Their Ability To Pinpoint The Shooter's Exact Location
Boyd said, "The reason he [Gray] is still alive is because we couldn't see him to shoot him." He added that their "mindset" was that they would likely get shot, but they had to focus on taking the culprit down and saving lives.
Colt Gray Was Aiming His Weapon At A Student Who Was Running Away
Gray Instantly Heeded The Officers' Command And Dropped His Firearm
Officers Boyd and King credit God with protecting them and enabling them to end the violence.
"My personal belief is whatever demon or whatever was in that kid to make him do pure evil...left when God rounded that corner," Boyd explained.
King agreed. "God was a huge factor that day, among our training and everything we've done prior to this. If it wasn't for God, I wouldn't be here today. We did what God put us here to do."
The Officers Did Their Job In An Amazingly Brief Time Span
Only 38 Seconds 'From First Shot To First Verbal Command'
King observed, "We want everyone to know how quickly we reacted - not for recognition, but for their peace of mind. It wasn't hours or minutes. It was seconds."
