Georgia community turns to God after school shooting; shooter already on law enforcement radar

Students-prayer-circle-end-zone

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Important Takeaways:

  • Fourteen-year-old Colt Gray will be charged with murder and tried as an adult after police say he killed four people and wounded nearly 30 others at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia Wednesday.
  • The boy was already on law enforcement radar since May of last year when he and his father were interviewed by authorities after the FBI received anonymous tips from fellow gamers that the boy threatened to commit a school shooting. Gray denied it.
  • Although his father admitted to having hunting rifles in the home, he said his son did not have unsupervised access to the weapons. No probable cause was found and no arrest was made.
  • Students retreated to the football field where many formed a circle in the end zone praying and holding hands.
  • Terrified parents rushed to the school, many already communicating with their children. One mother texted her daughter the Lord’s Prayer. Others spoke by phone.
  • Wednesday evening a number of prayer meetings took place at various churches and other locations in the community.
  • “We have a wonderful, wonderful community of faith here, tremendous churches that are right now beginning that process of how to help people through this and minister to people,” he said. “We live in a fallen, sinful world, and because of that, unfortunately tragedies like this are going to take place.”
  • “We’re always wanting to drive people back to the reality that there is a God who deeply loves us, who mourns over this, but who also offers redemption and salvation and hope in the midst of such tragedy,” he said. “Life, the Bible says, is like a vapor, and we do not know how long we have, and we do not know when that life will come to an end in this physical body. But we do know that if we’ve trusted in Christ, and we have salvation that is granted to us by grace through faith in Him, then our hope is secure.”
  • Sheriff Smith ended his remarks at a Wednesday afternoon news conference by saying, “Hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.”

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