On Wednesday, a shooting at a high school in the state of Georgia, USA, left four people dead and several others injured. President Joe Biden expressed his sorrow over the incident and said that senseless gun violence is tearing apart society.
According to media reports, the suspected shooter has been taken into custody. The shooting happened around 9:30 a.m. local time at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Sheriff Jud Smith of Barrow County spoke at a press conference, stating, “What you see behind us today is a terrible thing.” He only confirmed that many people were injured.
President Biden offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives due to what he called “foolish gun violence.” He added, “What should have been a day of joy in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another tragic reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.”
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He pointed out that students across the country are learning to hide and take cover instead of learning to read and write. He urged the nation not to accept this as normal.
Biden also said that the government is working closely with federal, state, and local authorities and thanked the first responders for capturing the suspect and preventing further loss of life.
The President emphasized that ending this epidemic of gun violence is personal to him. He mentioned signing the Safe Communities Act, which had bipartisan support, and creating the first White House office focused on gun violence prevention, which is overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden acknowledged that while progress has been made, much more needs to be done to address this crisis.
The U.S. government does not keep official records of school shootings, but media reports claim that there have been 46 such incidents in 2024, the highest since 1999, when 15 people were killed in the Columbine High School shooting. Reports further suggest that over 383,000 students have witnessed shootings in schools.