Latest news with #RickyAspinwall
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Apalachee families weigh trial possibilities after accused shooter's latest court hearing
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Apalachee families weigh trial possibilities after accused shooter's latest court hearing The accused Apalachee High School shooter may never face a jury, and families are responding to the idea. 'I definitely think that it's difficult to decipher what we, as a community, would want,' said Layla Renee Contreras. Contreras' mother and sister were inside the school in September 2024 when gunfire erupted, killing two students and two teachers. Nine people were hospitalized. At a hearing Tuesday, attorneys discussed the idea of a non-negotiated plea deal. In that case, Colt Gray would plead guilty, and a judge would determine his sentence. 'I understand people do want to hear the trial. Also, it has been a lot,' said Contreras. She said a trial would mean reliving the trauma. Tuesday afternoon, the family of one of the Math teachers killed, Coach Ricky Aspinwall, pointed that out after the hearing. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'If he wants to plead guilty, it would just be a better route for everybody, get it behind us,' said Kevin Zinke. 'Whatever they feel is what I support,' said Contreras. Contreras has been at every school board meeting since the shooting. She's leading the push for faster security upgrades. She spoke in January when deputies said a student got a gun on campus. In February, she spoke after a student trespassing incident. This week, she signed up to speak about communication connected to fake threats that led to the lockdown last Friday. 'Friday, that event did bring up a lot of panic, more distrust in the system, as well,' said Contreras. RELATED STORIES: The Board of Education did not allow her to speak, citing a regulation that allows them to deny public participation when someone plans to speak on the same topic. They ended the meeting without discussing the latest lockdown. 'I wouldn't want to speak about it if there were improvements,' said Contreras. Before the meeting, board members said they would not make themselves available for comment. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Number of teachers leaving Apalachee High School after deadly shooting rises
This week, Barrow County School System expects to learn how many teachers will renew their contracts for the next school year. The district said staff has until Friday this week to notify leadership about their contract decisions. Nine teachers and staff have resigned or transferred from Apalachee High School since the Sept. 04, 2024 shooting that killed four people inside, according to personnel records. For context, we checked data from the previous year and learned five teachers left Apalachee High School in that same time period. One of the latest teachers to step away from the classroom there is Head Football Coach Mike Hancock. His defense coordinator, Ricky Aspinwall, was one of the teachers killed during the September shooting rampage. 'As coaches, we are a prideful group and often times don't seek the help that we need to get better. To be open and honest, I have been struggling with PTSD, anxiety, grief, and depression,' Hancock said. A new personnel update could show more resignation numbers as early as Tuesday. That's when the next board of education meeting is scheduled. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Family of woman shot, killed by police say she was having mental health crisis 3 killed by drunk driver in a Gwinnett neighborhood, police say Sheriff gives new timeline as search crews scale back search for missing teacher on Lake Oconee [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
