A high school football team has paid tribute to their brave former coach, who lost his life while trying to guide his students to safety during a shooting spree at a Georgia school. Ricky Aspinwall was one of the four victims to be killed after gunman Colt Gray opened fire at a Georgia high school on Wednesday.
Authorities at a press conference on Wednesday night identified Christian Angulo, and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14, along with teacher Christina Irimie as the other victims of Apalachee High School mass shooting. Gray has since been arrested and is currently being questioned. He will be charged as an adult, according to multiple media reports.
Tribute to Beloved Teacher
"With deepest sympathy we share that former MV secondary coach Ricky Aspinwall was tragically lost during the senseless act at a nearby high school today," the Mountain View Bears Football team wrote in a post on X.
"Coach A was a beloved member of MVHS football and the school's math department. We pray for Shayna and his girls," the post continued.
Several more tributes for the loving father of two flooded social media. "Unbelievably heartbroken over the loss of our dear friend. He was truly as great as they come. Helluva human being. Would do anything for anyone. Amazing husband, father, teacher and coach," X user Brandon Gill wrote.
A GoFundMe has been created to support Aspinwall's wife, Shayna, and their two young daughters.
"We are all in shock over the news that Ricky Aspinwall lost his life protecting his students. Please consider donating to help Shayna Aspinwall with expenses she will have to incur and to make sure her two precious babies are taken care of," the fundraiser says.
Four Innocent Lives Lost
Aspinwall, a 39-year-old math teacher and football coach, was identified as one of the four victims killed on Wednesday when 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School using an assault-style rifle.
Two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, along with 53-year-old teacher Christina Irmie, were also among those killed.
Schermerhorn's family said he was an autistic student at the school, with a loved one saying after his passing it is "sad we can't even send our babies to school and them be safe."
Officials said during an evening press conference that Gray allegedly used an AR-15 style rifle to open fire inside the high school. He "immediately surrendered" to two school resource officers and was arrested shortly after starting his deadly attack.
Gray had been on the FBI's radar for over a year due to an investigation into online threats about a school shooting.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office had interviewed Gray and his father in response to multiple tips received by the FBI in May 2023, which included photos of firearms.
At the time, the 13-year-old denied making the threats, and his father told investigators that while there were hunting guns in their home, Gray did not have unsupervised access to them, according to the FBI. Law enforcement officials concluded they did not have sufficient grounds to arrest the teenager or take additional measures.
It remains unclear how the 14-year-old obtained the weapon used in the attack, and officials have not disclosed the type of firearm involved.
Following his arrest, Gray will face murder charges and will be tried as an adult, according to the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Law enforcement said that Gray began shooting around 10:23 a.m., impacting at least 13 people as chaos unfolded at the school.
