President Biden issued a statement condemning gun violence following Wednesday's mass shooting at a Georgia high school that left four people dead and many injured.
“Jill and I mourn those whose lives have been taken from us by senseless gun violence, and we are thinking of all of the survivors whose lives have been forever changed,” Biden said in a statement.
“What was supposed to be a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, turned into a horrifying display of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students across the country are learning not how to read and write, but how to hunker down and hide. We cannot continue to accept this as normal,” Biden continued.
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A medical helicopter arrives in front of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, after a shooting occurred there on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Biden added that he was working closely with officials at the federal, state and local levels and was grateful to the emergency responders who detained the suspect and prevented further deaths.
“Ending the epidemic of gun violence is personal to me, which is why I signed the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation in decades, and announced dozens of executive actions on gun safety,” Biden said.
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Police officers work at the scene of a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. (Reuters/Elijah Nouvellaj)
Biden went on to say that he was also establishing the first-ever White House Office on Gun Violence Prevention, under the oversight of Vice President Harris.
“We've made great progress, but this crisis requires even more progress. After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say, 'enough is enough,' and work with Democrats to pass commonsense gun control legislation,” Biden said.
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People are being evacuated from Apalachee High School following a shooting at the school on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
“We must again ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, implement universal background checks, and end gun manufacturer immunity. These measures will not bring back the people tragically killed today, but they will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart,” Biden said.
At least four people were killed in a shooting at a high school on Wednesday. North Central Georgia Authorities said they had sealed off the building.
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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that four people were killed. Apalachee High School One person was killed and nine others were injured and taken to multiple hospitals in Barrow County, Georgia (about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta). The suspect survived and is in custody.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
Fox News Digital's Timothy Nerozzi and Stephen Soreiss contributed to this report.
