School Resource Officers Recall Chaos and Heroism in Georgia School Shooting
Two school resource officers, Chase Boyd and Brandon King, rushed into Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, in response to a call about gunfire. What they found was a scene of chaos and disorientation, with shots echoing through the corridors.
Boyd and King had been preparing for this kind of situation, but nothing could have prepared them for the reality of facing a shooter. Four people, including two students and two teachers, were killed in the shooting on September 4, and seven others were injured. The accused shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, and his father, Colin Gray, have both pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.
As Boyd and King entered the smoke-filled hallway, they navigated the disorienting sounds of gunfire, unable to be sure what lay ahead. They discovered a black silhouette, obscured by smoke and dust, and were forced to wait and yell for the figure to get on the ground. The figure soon complied, and Boyd assumed a gun had been dropped. In reality, the person was a victim.
The officers quickly handcuffed the shooter, but he did not go quietly, losing his temper and becoming aggressive. Boyd believes that if the shooter had shown this intensity when they first confronted him, the tragedy could have been much worse.
According to Boyd, the shooter had the ammunition to kill himself and King, but instead, he simply sat down and refused to continue firing. The reason for this, Boyd attributes to divine intervention, stating “it had to be a God thing.” This may have also saved the shooter’s life, as he was no longer a threat when they arrived.
Boyd’s account is a sobering reminder of the split-second decisions that law enforcement officers must make in the face of chaos, and the importance of faith and instinct in guiding their actions.