Apalachee High community reacts to Wis. school shooting
WINDER, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — At Apalachee High School, the scars from a deadly shooting in September are still fresh, and now survivors are reacting to the Wisconsin school shooting.
The memorial under the flagpole — once filled with flowers and balloons — has been removed, yet the memories remain.
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On Monday, another school shooting happened in Madison, Wisconsin.
Three people are dead — including the 15-year-old suspect — while several others were injured at Abundant Life Christian School.
This marks the first deadly school shooting since September’s tragedy at Apalachee High School.
DeAmber Lawrence is the mother of two students at Apalachee High.
She described being overwhelmed with emotion since that fateful day on Sept. 4. For Lawrence, Monday’s school shooting in Madison brought back plenty of painful memories.
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“It brought up all these raw emotions, feelings,” she said. “I know what they’re going through, and it just seems like it’s becoming a new normal.”
The suspect in the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School was identified as Natalie Rupnow. Authorities said the student died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Having the fear that someone could come in and cause chaos like that, and take lives, innocent lives, it’s just terrible,” Lawrence said.
Daniel Dewitt grew up in Winder and stopped by Apalachee High School on Monday. He laid flowers under the flagpole while praying for the four families who lost loved ones in September.
“The holidays are coming up and I thought about the two students and the two teachers that lost their lives in the tragic event on that September day,” Dewitt said.
He believes this latest school shooting is causing these students to relive their trauma.
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“It makes them replay it in their mind all over again as to what happened,” Dewitt said. “Especially with the shooter being a student.”
Deyonna Lee is a senior at Apalachee High. She was in class the day that 14-year-old suspect Colt Gray allegedly shot 11 people.
Lee was disturbed to hear that the suspected shooter in Madison, Wisconsin, was also a student.
“You wouldn’t think somebody would do that,” she said. “But it happened, and it’s scary.”
Temporary outdoor classrooms are being built at Apalachee High. These classrooms are expected to be complete in January.
The 30,000-square-foot hallway where the September shooting occurred will remain closed for the remainder of the school year.
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