Support pours in for families of Georgia school victims with over $100K in donations in first hours
Four people were killed and nine hospitalized with injured in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia
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More than $100,000 has been raised for the families of the victims who were gunned down in a mass shooting at a Georgia high school.
Two students and two teachers were killed when a 14-year-old gunman opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday morning.
Colt Gray, the alleged shooter, was taken into custody and set to appear in court on Friday where he is expected to be charged with murder. The Apalachee student had previously been investigated by local and federal law enforcement for allegedly threatening to shoot up a school, it was revealed.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has named the victims as students Mason Schermerhorn, Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, who was an assistant football coach, and Christina Irimie, 53, who was a math teacher.
At least nine others were also injured in the attack and they are expected to make a full recovery, officials said.
As the community reels from the senseless tragedy, tributes are pouring in as thousands of dollars are raised for the victims’ families. GoFundMe fundraisers were created for two of the victims, and a third was created for all of the victims.
Christian Angulo was described by friends and family as “a beautiful soul” who was “loved by so many”.
His sister, Lisette Angulo, shared the family’s heartbreak and shock over his death in a GoFundMe campaign.
“Unfortunately my baby brother was one of the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School,” she confirmed.
“He was only 14 years old. He was a very good kid and very sweet and so caring. He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected.. We are truly heartbroken.. He really didn’t deserve this.”
The teen’s family is fundraising to cover the cost of his funeral.
“We kindly ask if you could help us with any donations to help us with expenses for his funeral ceremony due to his loss being so sudden. We appreciate anything you can give. We also would appreciate any prayers at this time,” she said.
The campaign has raised $61,585 as of Thursday afternoon.
A GoFundMe has also been created for Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, a 39-year-old married father-of-two and math teacher at the school.
He died while “protecting his students”, a Gofundme page set up for his family says.
A tribute to the teacher, who also coached the school football team, posted on Facebook said the GoFundMe fundraiser would go towards supporting his wife and two daughters.
“We are all in shock over the news that Ricky Aspinwall lost his life protecting his students,” the page, set up by Julie Woodson, reads. It has so far raised more than $100,000.
A third fund created by the families of previous school shooting victims, called Victims First, has raised an additional $5,864.
“Our hearts are breaking for the victims and survivors of the mass shooting at the Apalachee High School,” it reads.
The group previously collected donations for victims of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting, the shootings at Oxford High School in Michigan and The Covenant School in Tennessee.