Image by Drazen Zigic
Schools across the country are back in session, and so is the threat of violence in classrooms.
School shootings have been on the rise for years, with no sign of slowing down. In March of 2024, the American College of Surgeons released a report that found that the rate of children becoming school shooting victims more than quadrupled from 1970 to 2021.
In September of 2024, there was a shooting at Apalachee High School where the 14-year-old suspect killed four people: two students and two teachers. Nine others were wounded. It shook the town of Winder, Georgia, located about an hour outside of Atlanta. The suspect surrendered and was taken into custody. He will be charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder.
FBI Atlanta revealed in a statement that in 2023, it had interviewed the suspect after receiving several online tips that he had threatened to commit a school shooting. They were aware that his father owned hunting guns but said, “There was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal level” at that time.
One source said the suspect’s father bought him the AR-style gun he used in the shooting as a Christmas present, CNN reported. The father was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and child cruelty.
Similar red flags had been raised about the shooter who carried out the 2018 attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead.
The public FBI tip line was called less than six weeks before the tragedy, and the caller provided information on the shooter’s “gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.” Protocols were not followed, and no further investigation was performed on this tip.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp posted several tweets expressing condolences for the attack. He ordered that flags be flown at half-staff and urged Georgians to “join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms.”
During his time in office, Kemp, a Republican, has loosened gun laws. In 2022, he signed a bill allowing residents to carry handguns in public without a license or background check. Georgia does not have what many refer to as common-sense gun laws, such as universal background checks for gun purchases, safe storage laws or a so-called red-flag law.
Kemp has come under fire in the past for a controversial campaign ad in which he points a shotgun at “Jake,” a boy interested in dating one of the governor's daughters. When asked for the key to dating one of his daughters, “Jake” responds with “respect and a healthy appreciation for the Second Amendment.” Many viewers demanded the ad be taken off the air.
“Brian Kemp is a conservative. Get over it,” Kemp Campaign spokesperson Ryan Mahoney said in response to criticism. “He loves his daughters, values our 2nd Amendment rights, and will be an unapologetic fighter for our families as Georgia’s next governor.”
Kemp was endorsed by the National Rifle Association, which gave him an A+ rating. The NRA lobbies against all forms of gun control and advocates for an interpretation of the Second Amendment that allows unlimited access to guns for all US citizens.
The NRA has been criticized widely by gun control groups and other progressive groups, such as Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, and the Center for American Progress.
In the aftermath of the shooting in Winder, the Georgia legislature is split along ideological lines. Democrats are calling for safe storage laws, universal background checks, and “red flag” laws, which would “ allow loved ones or law enforcement to intervene by petitioning a court for an order to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns.” Republicans, however, are calling for more security in schools, mental health reform, and even arming teachers.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, it is clear that guns are an ideologically dividing issue. In the aftermath of the 2017 Las Vegas shootings, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning bump stocks, a tool used by the shooter to make his semi-automatic rifle functionally automatic.
But this summer, all the justices appointed to the court during Trump’s term as president voted that his ban was unconstitutional. However, the court did uphold a ban on guns for convicted domestic abusers. Trump has been endorsed by the NRA.
Vice President Harris has been accused by Trump of wanting to “confiscate everybody’s gun.” The Democratic presidential nominee has advocated for stronger gun control measures. She is a gun owner, as she revealed in her first debate with Trump.
As the United States continues to face the issue of gun violence, one thing remains clear: there must be change. In November, the country will decide if that is what it wants.
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