NEWTOWN, Conn. – In the wake of the tragic school shooting that took the lives of two educators and two students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, the FBI has revealed that warning signs were present dating back more than a year ago.
According to the FBI, the same 14-year-old individual that is now in custody in relation to the school shooting at Apalachee High School made threats online about committing a school shooting at an unidentified location in May 2023. This information came to the FBI through anonymous tips. Within 24 hours, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office interviewed the suspect and his father, who told them that he did have guns in the house, but the young suspect did not have unsupervised access to them. Although law enforcement’s response was swift, there was no probable cause for an arrest at that time.
There were also additional threats made immediately preceding the shooting. According to reports, multiple law enforcement officials stated that Apalachee High School received threats via phone on the morning of the shooting. As of today, officials are still investigating the origin of those threats. At this time, it is unclear what actions were taken.
These facts are significant, because the ability to identify warning signs and get help when seeing concerning behaviors is a critical factor in preventing gun violence. In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker’s plan but failed to report it.
Every student, parent, and educator across the nation needs to be informed about these life-saving warning signs and how to connect with help when needed. And all firearms in homes must be securely stored, separate from ammunition, to limit access by unauthorized users.
In response to these new facts, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and co-CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“We commend law enforcement’s rapid response both to the threats that were received last year, and on the day of the shooting. We also stand with the community of Barrow County as they navigate this unbearable and senseless tragedy, especially with the families whose loved ones were taken. The wellbeing and recovery of the injured and surviving students is the most important thing right now.”
“The presence of these warning signs makes this situation all the more heartbreaking. Violence is preventable when you know the signs. We must focus our collective efforts on teaching everyone how to identify these signals and the steps they can take to anonymously report what they’ve observed.”
“Most individuals that have committed school shootings displayed behaviors that concerned others before the attacks took place. We’re thankful that multiple Upstanders chose to anonymously report what they had seen last year when threats were made online. The actions of these Upstanders were vitally important even though it was determined intervention was not possible at the time. More must be done after these warning signs are reported to support the person through crisis and get them help, such as counseling or mental health support.”
“We’re also calling for an investigation into the social media use of the 14-year-old gunman in the Apalachee High School shooting. As we highlighted in our UnTargeting Kids report, the unethical marketing of weapons to minors contributes to gun violence in schools. Gun manufacturers often partner with social media influencers to market their weapons, and evidence has shown that social media can have an outsized influence on teen brains. Gun influencers and gun marketing should not be reaching vulnerable 14-year-olds who can’t separate fact from fantasy, and this may have been an important factor in this case.”
To learn more about the warning signs of violence, ways the firearms industry is marketing deadly products to children online, and how proven prevention programs can be established in your community, visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
Media Contacts:
Aimee Thunberg | [email protected] | 646-761-5579
Nick Dmitrovich | [email protected] | 219-552-4258