Georgia
These are the 2 students and 2 teachers killed at Apalachee High School in Georgia
Students kneel in front of a makeshift memorial in front of Apalachee High School on in Winder, Ga., on Thursday, one day after two students and two teachers were shot and killed at the school.
Jessica McGowan/Getty Images
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Jessica McGowan/Getty Images
The four victims of Wednesday’s mass shooting in Winder, Ga., were crucial to the interwoven fabric of a high school. Some taught math and football. Others dreamed of what they would do one day as grownups. All of those who lost their lives in the Apalachee High School attack were loved in their families and community.
The violence came just after the school had completed its first month of the new school year. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified the dead as students Christian Angulo, 14, and Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
At least nine other people were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. The suspected killer, a 14-year-old, was taken into custody at the school. He had previously been investigated by federal and local agencies over “online threats to commit a school shooting,” according to the FBI.
Here’s what we know about the four victims who died:
Mason Schermerhorn
Mason had just started high school last month. Photos of him show a smiling young man wearing glasses. On a fundraising page, he is being remembered by his sister as a teenager who was funny and liked to tell jokes.
“Family members described Mason as someone who was always positive and always looked at the bright side of things. One of his favorite hobbies was playing video games on his PS5 and VR headset,” according to Atlanta TV station Fox 5.
Christian Angulo
Like Mason, Christian was a freshman at Apalachee.
“He was a very good kid and very sweet and so caring. He was so loved by many,” his oldest sister, Lisette, said as she launched a GoFundMe page to pay for her younger brother’s funeral.
“We are truly heartbroken,” she added, saying that while donations would help pay expenses related to his funeral, “We also would appreciate any prayers at this time.”
Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall
Richard Aspinwall was a popular coach at Apalachee High School, where he also taught math. He is survived by his wife and two young children; Aspinwall is seen here in a photo from the school’s website.
Apalachee High School
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Apalachee High School
Aspinwall was a math teacher who also coached football at Apalachee. He and his wife, Shayna, formerly taught together at Mountain View High School. The couple have two young daughters.
Aspinwall’s friends and colleagues are mourning a well-liked and respected coach who specialized in defense. His former players describe him as a role model who took a deep interest in their futures.
“For me specifically, he believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He pushed me to have high aspirations through the faith he had in me,” Marquel Broughton, one of his former players at Mountain View, told the Gwinnett Daily Post. “His love was genuine, and his heart was pure. His legacy will forever live on through those he touched. Coach A will forever be known as a hero.”
Christina Irimie
A photo from Apalachee High School’s website shows Christina Irimie, 53. A math teacher at the school, Irimie was killed in a mass shooting on Wednesday.
Apalachee High School
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Apalachee High School
There is little public information available about Irimie, at this time, other than her listing as a math teacher on the Apalachee High School website.
NPR and its member stations are working to learn more about her. Local reports cite students calling her a patient and caring teacher.
CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. — Animal shelters in Northwest Georgia are running out of space, with Catoosa and Walker County unable to take in more animals as the number of strays rises during the summer months.
Catoosa County officials say the county’s animal shelter is maxed out and can no longer accept animals.
Image via Catoosa County Animal Control
The shelter has room for 80 pets but is currently over capacity, limiting how much it can help when large animal rescues happen in nearby areas.
“I can’t speak for everybody, but I can say that working in animal care, summertime is definitely one of the worst times for us and for the animals more,” Abby Lynch, the community outreach and kennel officer for the Catoosa County Animal Shelter says.
Catoosa County officials say summer is when dogs and cats breed because the weather is nice, leading to more strays than usual.
Image via Catoosa County Animal Control
The Walker County Animal Shelter is also dealing with capacity issues.
The shelter says it has brought in 73 animals since the beginning of July.
Image: Walker County Animal Shelter
“In that same time, we have done 28 adoptions, which 28 adoptions in two weeks sounds great. But when you’re doing the math of 73 animals in and 28 animals going out, not super great,” says Melissa Smith, director of the Walker County Animal Shelter.
Catoosa County has helped neighboring counties during past crises.
Image via Catoosa County Animal Control
“We’ve assisted Dade County in the past with similar situations, and that’s when really rescues and shelters help each other,” says Dylan McColollum, director of Catoosa County Animal Control.
Dade County only got an animal shelter this year.
Image: Walker County Animal Shelter
In Georgia, only 61 out of 159 counties have animal shelters, making it more important for shelters to have enough capacity to help their own communities and assist neighboring counties when needed.
“We’re just grateful that we have our own shelter and can take care of our our county and its needs, and we’re happy to assist if other counties need our assistance,” McColollum says.
Image: Walker County Animal Shelter
Adoptions at the Catoosa County Animal Shelter are currently free because of donors. See available animals here.
They were designed to hold a drink, but cups produced in Rome, Georgia, have become one of the FIFA Men’s World Cup’s most unexpected souvenirs.
Inside the Top Cup plant in Rome, millions of cups were created to celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event.
“We made 10 million over 70 different graphics for the World Cup,” said Rome native and Top Cup General Manager Zach Dixon.
The plant in north Georgia produces up to 750,000 cups a day.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup … but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Top Cup CEO David Cuthbert.
Fans have been taking them home from matches. Some have even been listed for sale online.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup… but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Cuthbert.
Dixon said they begin the process with massive coils of aluminum, each weighing about 30,000 pounds. The metal is stamped, stretched, washed, and moved down the line.
The plant produces about 1,100 cups every minute.
Ricardo Marques, the senior vice president of marketing for Michelob ULTRA, said that there have been venue-specific, match-specific, and Finals-specific stadium cups for the World Cup. There are also three separate red, white, and blue designs available for fans at bars and restaurants around the U.S.
“We’ve seen an incredible response to the collection. Together, these commemorative cups give fans a unique keepsake and a lasting reminder of an unforgettable FIFA World Cup experience and the moments that brought millions of people together through the world’s game,” Marques said.
Cuthbert said his company has seen how the World Cup has done wonders for metro Atlanta businesses.
“Our team in Rome, Georgia takes tremendous pride in helping bring this fan experience to life for one of the world’s biggest sporting events,” he said.
So when soccer fans celebrate the surprise victory or mourn their last-minute loss, they’re doing so with a little piece of Georgia.
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