Morning, y’all. Temperatures should linger around 80 degrees today, with a slight chance of evening rain.
Our newsletter offers the latest on Fani Willis, a setback for a massive central Georgia solar farm and Atlanta United’s dismissal of a longtime leader.
But first: a horrific day in Barrow County.
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WOE IN WINDER
Richard Aspinwall, a teacher and assistant football coach, died at Apalachee High School Wednesday.
So did Cristina Irimie, a math teacher.
Christian Angulo, a “sweet and caring” kid, and Mason Schermerhorn, a fellow 14-year-old, died too.
Nine more people went to the hospital. Other survivors experienced things like this:
- “Everything was fine and then all the [classroom TV] screens changed to ‘lockdown’ and I heard about five gunshots outside my classroom.”
- “We all made sure to get down and as out of sight as possible.”
- “I can still picture everything, like the blood, the shouting and everything.”
The GBI deemed yet another 14-year-old, Colt Gray, responsible for it all. He was booked into a detention center overnight. Authorities say he’ll be charged as an adult.
- The unfortunate twist: More than a year ago, authorities went to Gray’s home in nearby Jackson County. Threats about school shootings had surfaced on a gaming site.
- Gray’s father reportedly confirmed there were guns in the house, but said the boy didn’t have “unfettered access” to them.
“A thorough investigation was conducted,” Jackson Sheriff Janis Mangum said in a Facebook post. “During the course of this investigation, the gaming site threats could not be substantiated.”
As details continued trickling out Wednesday, politicians poured on prayers.
- Gov. Brian Kemp called the shooting “everybody’s worst nightmare.” Vice President Kamala Harris deemed it a “senseless tragedy.”
And it was both of those things, of course. It always will be.
But not a surprise.
As the AJC’s Maureen Downey and Patricia Murphy both opined, this stuff is so ingrained in our culture that we’re all just holding our breath until the next one. And we all have stories.
Early last year, a shooting outside a nearby apartment complex interrupted my then-3-year-old daughter’s very first soccer practice. No one verbalized what was happening at the time. But as a cop hurried everyone across the street and into a building, my son sensed it.
- “Is this a shooting?” he asked. He was seven.
A few days later, he ran me through the different lockdown drills they have at school (and, naturally, I recorded it). Hiding, being quiet, triggering some magnet that holds the door shut. Old hat.
But the soccer practice thing was very real. Not an imminent threat, really, but not a drill.
Why so calm?
- “The intruder was on the other side of a building that was on the soccer field,” my son said. “And I knew no one can jump that far, so I was like, ‘They can’t jump over the building so I guess we’re fine.’”
He paused, then added: “For now.”
Here’s some advice about how to talk about school shootings with your kids. Stay tuned to AJC.com for updates throughout the day.
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LEGAL WRANGLING
Attorneys for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis are expected in court this afternoon to fight a subpoena from the Republican-led state Senate committee investigating her.
- Willis maintains that the committee, launched earlier this year in the wake of her office indicting former President Donald Trump, has no legal authority to force her testimony.
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FINANCIAL FOIBLES
The office of Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, meanwhile, revealed that it owes more than $2 million to various contractors and requested nearly $6 million in additional funding.
- The revelation comes less than a week after dozens of privately hired security guards walked off the job at the county jail, citing nonpayment.
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SO LONG, SOLAR
What would’ve been among the state’s largest solar farms took a hit this week, with commissioners in Houston County (south of Macon) rejecting the plan amid environmental concerns.
The property pitched for the $300 million project abuts a wildlife area inhabited by the state’s most isolated black bear population.
- Elsewhere in Georgia: Railroad gets OK to force land sales
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ELECTION FYI
Did you recently get a letter from the state saying they changed your voter registration status to inactive? Fear not: You can still vote in November.
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END OF AN ERA
Carlos Bocanegra helped build Atlanta United’s initial rosters, fueling that magical MLS title run in 2018. But with the Five Stripes accomplishing little in the years since, he’s now out as the team’s technical director.
Columnist Ken Sugiura dubs the dismissal “beyond necessary.”
- Braves: Jarred Kelenic’s three-run homer headlined a 5-2 win over the Rockies. But Ludacris’ first pitch (see below) was pretty good, too.
- Bulldogs: Tennessee Tech’s head coach says he’s “not thrilled” about taking on top-ranked Georgia in Athens this weekend. At least he’s honest!
- Falcons: Tight end Kyle Pitts is nursing a hamstring injury, but head coach Raheem Morris said he’s “ready to go.”
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ATL GOES DANCING
The new season of “Dancing with the Stars” is chock full of Atlanta connections, including Phaedra Parks (“Real Housewives”), Eric Roberts (Atlanta-grown actor, brother of Julia) and former NBA star Dwight Howard.
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MORE TO EXPLORE
» Georgia AG files lawsuit to stop ‘unlawful’ federal student loan debt plan
» New Columbus memorial to honor fallen troops, families
» 100 congregations leave South Georgia’s United Methodist Church
» State trooper’s ‘deadly’ maneuver prompts excessive force lawsuit
» Regal Hollywood 24 near Chamblee shutting down after 25 years
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ON THIS DATE
Sept. 5, 1911
“Atlanta Postal Service Continues To Grow Worse” read the Constitution headline, which balked at the fact that a letter sent from Toccoa took 18 days to arrive in the capital city.
The more things change, eh?
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
AJC photographer Arvin Temkar caught rapper Ludacris throwing out the first pitch while wearing giant arms, a throwback to the music video for his classic track “Get Back.”
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ONE MORE THING
Just hug your people, OK?
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Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Tyler Estep hosts the AJC Win Column, Atlanta's new weekly destination for all things sports. He also shepherds the Sports Daily and Braves Report newsletters to your inbox.
