3 months ago
42
As
students
scrambled to find safety during the deadly shooting at
Apalachee High School
in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning, their desperate
text messages
to
parents
revealed the raw fear and uncertainty of the situation.
Just before 10:30 am, Becky Van Der Walt received a chilling message from her son, Henry, a junior at the school. “I think there's a
school shooting
,” Henry texted.
“We heard gunshots and the police shouting ... We're all in hard lockdown.” Eight minutes later, Henry sent another brief but poignant message: “I love you.”
Similarly, Erin Clark, a parent of another Apalachee High student, received a distressing text from her son, Ethan. “School shooting rn ... I'm scared,” Ethan wrote. “pls I'm not joking.” When Clark replied that she was leaving work to be with him, Ethan's response was simple yet heartfelt: “I love you.”
Sonya Turner, who had just returned home after dropping off her daughter Abby at the school, also received a troubling message. “There's a real lockdown,” Abby texted from her biology class. “idk how to explain it ... I heard shots but I don't anymore.”
The texts came as a 14-year-old student allegedly opened fire at the school, killing four people and injuring nine others. The suspect faces multiple charges, including four counts of felony murder. The victims include two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, as well as two students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.
Turner, who also has a 9-year-old son, immediately contacted her husband to rush to the school, urging him, “It’s real. Go. Go. Go.” For the next hour, she remained glued to her phone, managing her daughters' safety and offering prayers and comfort through text messages.
“Where are you hiding?” Turner texted Abby, who replied, “I’m behind a long desk.” Turner continued to check on her daughter’s location and advised her to stay still and pray. “No I can’t move ... I’m not aloud to mo[v]e,” Abby responded. Turner’s texts were filled with instructions and prayers as she tried to provide reassurance during the chaos.
Despite the trauma, both Ethan Clark and Abby Turner reportedly survived the shooting, along with Turner's other daughter, Isabella. As the investigation continues, the texts between parents and students offer a poignant glimpse into the harrowing experience of those caught in the violence.
