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
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
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.
